Overview
General Information

The coastal California gnatcatcher is a small blue-gray songbird which measures only 4.5 inches (11 cm) and weighs 0.2 ounces (6 grams). It has dark blue-gray feathers on its back and grayish-white feathers on its underside. The wings have a brownish wash to them. Its long tail is mostly black with white outer tail feathers. They have a thin, small bill. The males have a black cap during the summer which is absent during the winter. Both males and females have a white ring around their eyes. It belongs to the old-world warbler and gnatcatcher Sylviidae family.

Current Listing Status:
Date Listed:1993-03-30 00:00:00.0
Lead Region: California/Nevada Region (Region 8)

States/US Territories in which the Coastal California gnatcatcher is known to occur:  California

USFWS Refuges in which the Coastal California gnatcatcher is known to occur:  SAN DIEGO NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

Countries in which the Coastal California gnatcatcher is known to occur:  Mexico

Federal Register Documents

Most Recent Federal Register Documents

Date Citation Page Title

View All Federal Register Documents
03/05/2008 73 FR 11945 11950 Initiation of 5-Year Reviews of 58 Species in California and Nevada; Availability of Completed 5-Year Reviews in California, Nevada and Southern Oregon
12/19/2007 72 FR 72009 72213 Revised Designation of Critical Habitat for the Coastal California Gnatcatcher (Polioptila californica californica); Final Rule
04/03/2007 72 FR 15857 15859 Reopening of Public Comment Periods for the Proposed Designations of Critical Habitat for the Coastal California Gnatcatcher and the San Diego Fairy Shrimp
12/22/2006 71 FR 77058 77059 Proposed Low-Effect Habitat Conservation Plan for 93-129 Ltd in the City of Laguna Niguel, California
03/14/2005 70 FR 12496 12498 Preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement for the North County Multiple Species Conservation Program, San Diego, CA

Special Rule Publications

Date Citation Page Title
12/10/1993 58 FR 65088 65096 ETWP; Special Rule Concerning Take of the Threatened Coastal California Gnatcatcher
03/30/1993 58 FR 16758 16759 Proposed Special Rule to Allow Take of the Threatened Coastal California Gnatcatcher
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Recovery Summary

Other Recovery Documents
Doc Date Citation Page Title Document Type
03/05/2008 73 FR 11945 11950 Initiation of 5-Year Reviews of 58 Species in California and Nevada; Availability of Completed 5-Year Reviews in California, Nevada and Southern Oregon
  • Notice 5-year Review, Initiation
    • 06/29/2000 65 FR 40073 40074 Reopening of Comment Period and Notice of Availability of Draft Economic Analysis for Proposed Critical Habitat Determination for the Coastal California Gnatcatcher
  • Notice Doc. Availability
  • Notice Reopen Comment

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    Critical Habitat

    Current Critical Habitat Documents

    Date Citation Page Title Document Type Status
    12/19/2007 72 FR 72009 72213 Revised Designation of Critical Habitat for the Coastal California Gnatcatcher (Polioptila californica californica); Final Rule Final Rule Active
    04/24/2003 68 FR 20227 20312 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Designation of Critical Habitat for the Coastal California Gnatcatcher (Polioptila californica californica) and Determination of Distinct Vertebrate Population Segment for the California Gnatcatcher (Polioptila californica); Proposed Rule Proposed Rule Not Required
    10/24/2000 65 FR 63679 63743 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Final Determination of Critical Habitat for the Coastal California Gnatcatcher; Final Rule Final Rule Not Required
    02/07/2000 65 FR 5945 5976 Proposed Determination of Critical Habitat for the Coastal California Gnatcatcher Proposed Rule Not Required

    To learn more about critical habitat please see http://criticalhabitat.fws.gov

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    Conservation Plans

    Habitat Conservation Plans (HCP):
    HCP Plan Summaries HCP Plan Documents
    93-129 (Bear Brand Ranch) Low-Effect HCP (Laguna Niguel, Orange Cnty, CA) N/A
    Antelope Road HCP N/A
    Assessment District 161 N/A
    Bellota Landslide Repair and Shorecliffs Mobile Home Park (San Clemente, Orange Cnty, CA) N/A
    Bennett Property, Lamco Housing, Inc. N/A
    Cal. Dept. of Corrections Statewide Electrified Fence Project N/A
    Cornerstone Homes, Railroad Canyon/Lake Elsinore Tract 20704 N/A
    Coyote Hills East (UnoCal) N/A
    Deer Canyon Park Low-Effect HCP (Anaheim, Orange Cnty, CA) N/A
    El Sobrante Landfill N/A
    Evergreen Nursery N/A
    Fieldstone/La Costa & City of Carlsbad N/A
    Granite Homes/Lake Elsinore Tract 20705 N/A
    Harley John Reservoir N/A
    Lake Mathews N/A
    MHCP, City of Carlsbad Habitat Management Plan N/A
    MSCP, City of Chula Vista Subarea Plan N/A
    MSCP, City of La Mesa Subarea Plan N/A
    MSCP, City of Poway Subarea Plan N/A
    MSCP, City of San Diego Subarea Plan N/A
    MSCP, County of San Diego Subarea Plan N/A
    Meadowlark Estates, SunCal Company N/A
    Mission View Estates N/A
    Newport Estates N/A
    North Peak Development Project N/A
    Ocean Trails (Palos Verdes Land Holdings Co./Zuckerman Building Co.) N/A
    Ocean Trails Amendment and Permit Transfer N/A
    Orange County Central/Coastal NCCP/HCP N/A
    Orange County Southern Subregion NCCP/HCP N/A
    Rancho Bella Vista (Pacific Bay Properties) N/A
    San Diego Gas & Electric N/A
    Shell Oil Company/Metropolitan Water District of Southern California N/A
    Temecula Ridge Apartments and Temecula Village Development N/A
    Van Daele N/A
    Western Riverside MSHCP (One permit w/ 22 permittees) N/A

    Safe Harbor Agreements (SHA):

    No Safe Harbor Agreements exist for the Coastal California gnatcatcher.

    Candidate Conservation Agreements (CCA):

    No Candidate Conservation Agreements exist for the Coastal California gnatcatcher.

    Candidate Conservation Agreements with Assurances (CCAA):

    No Candidate Conservation Agreements with Assurances exist for the Coastal California gnatcatcher.

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    Petitions

    Most Recent Petition Findings

    Date Citation Page Title Finding
    03/22/1991 56 FR 12146 12148 ETWP; 90-Day Findings and Commencement of Status Reviews for Seven Petitions to List Five Species as Threatened or Endangered; 56 FR 12146 12148
  • Notice 90-day Petition Finding, Substantial


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    Life History


    No Life History information has been entered into this system for this species.


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    Other Resources

    NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

    ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.
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