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Birdsong Break
Through the simple beauty of birdsong, this series creates a quiet space to appreciate the natural world right outside your door.

Gray Catbird

WSHU | By Sabrina Garone
Published May 22, 2026 at 12:00 PM EDT
Gray Catbird — Lido Beach N.Y.
Sabrina Garone
/
WSHU
Gray Catbird — Lido Beach N.Y.

Related to the Mockingbird, the Gray Catbird can make a variety of sounds through mimicry. These birds like to hide out in thickets near water, making the Long Island Sound region a favorite spot during migration.

Range: North America
Habitat: Forest edges, shrubs, thickets
Food: Berries, small insects
In our region: April - September
Fun fact: Name comes from its “mew” sound, similar to a cat

Listen for the Birdsong Break weekends on WSHU.

Audio comes from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Macaulay Library.
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Sabrina Garone
Sabrina is host and producer of WSHU’s daily podcast After All Things. She also produces the climate podcast Higher Ground and other long-form news and music programs at the station. Sabrina spent two years as a WSHU fellow, working as a reporter and assisting with production of The Full Story.
See stories by Sabrina Garone
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