Gray catbird are diurnal and migratory. Breeding pairs are territorial during the breeding season and in winter. During the breeding season, males defend a small territory around their nest. They rarely return to the same breeding site in successive years. During winter, males and females defend separate territories. It has been observed that males spend a significantly greater amount of time near the nest when the females are absent from the nest than when they are present. Females spend more time away from the nest when the males are guarding than when they are not. Likewise, the attentive periods of the females terminated by a male signal are significantly shorter than periods not terminated by a male. Coordination between the male and the incubating female is affected primarily by vocalizations. It is suggested that the almost continuous presence of an adult near the nest may be a factor in preventing nest predation and may play a significant role in deterring Brown-headed Cowbird parasitism of Gray Catbird nests. less ↑