White-banded Mockingbird
Mimus triurus
Distinctive mockingbird with large white wing patches, visible at rest and spectacular in flight. It is largely whitish below with a gray head and cinnamon rump. The tail is mostly white with black central feathers. Found in savannas and other semiopen areas. The song is variable and includes songs of other species.
Identification
The white-banded mockingbird is 20 to 23.5 cm (7.9 to 9.3 in) long and weighs 49 to 54 g (1.7 to 1.9 oz). The male is slightly larger than the female. Adults have a grayish crown, a white supercilium, a blackish line through the eye, and speckled cheeks. Their upperparts are smoky gray blending to reddish cinnamon on the rump. The central third of the tail is black and the outer feathers white. The folded wing shows a broad white band; the rest of the wing is blackish. The white on the wings and tail are conspicuous in flight. The adults are mostly whitish below; the sides and flanks have a cinnamon wash and the vent area is buffy. The juvenile is similar but with a spotted breast and less white in the wing.
Taxonomy
The white-banded mockingbird and the brown-backed mockingbird (Mimus dorsalis) are sister species. Both are monotypic.
- Scientific name
- Mimus triurus
- Authority
- (Vieillot, 1818)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Mimidae
- Genus
- Mimus
Range and habitat
The white-banded mockingbird breeds primarily in central Argentina. In the non-breeding season it apparently withdraws from the southernmost part of its range and is also found in Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay. It is suspected to regularly breed in all of these countries except Brazil and Chile. Vagrants have been recorded in Peru and the Falkland Islands.<p>The white-banded mockingbird inhabits a variety of landscapes including low woodlands, savanna, open brushy country, steppe, and around human habitations. It is mostly found below 500 m (1,600 ft) of elevation but breeds as high as 2,600 m (8,500 ft) in northern Argentina and as a non-breeder reaches higher in Bolivia and Chile.
- Breeding range
- SA : c Argentina
- Non-breeding range
- to Bolivia and s Brazil
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Behavior
The white-banded mockingbird is thought to be mostly insectivorous in the breeding season but almost nothing is known otherwise.<p>The white-banded mockingbird's nest is an open bowl made of twigs lined with softer material. It is placed low in vegetation, often a thorny bush. It lays its clutch of four eggs (occasionally three) in November and December. Nests are frequently parasitized by the shiny cowbird (Molothrus bonariensis).<p>The white-banded mockingbird is a "[s]uperlative songster, the most outstanding of genus". Its song is " a long, loud and extended stream of melodic notes and phrases" and it is an excellent mimic.
Conservation
- Population trend
- unknown
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Silvery-cheeked Hornbill
Bycanistes brevis
Big, spectacular, black-and-white hornbill. Both sexes show a pale bill, with a large casque that is larger in males and smaller in females. In flight, the wings are mostly black with a small white patch below, and there are white corners to the tail. Found from low to high elevations in forest, and adjacent areas of lush woodland and cultivation. Usually in pairs or small groups. The loud calls are honking and yapping notes that are often given in a quick series. Similar to Black-and-white-casqued Hornbill, but has a paler bill, and much less white in the wings. Also reminiscent of Trumpeter Hornbill, but larger, with a bigger bill, and less white in the wings and on the belly.
Moheli White-eye
Zosterops comorensis
A small, sharp-billed warbler-like bird. Note the yellow patches on the throat and undertail and the bold white spectacles around the eye. Common on the island of Moheli in the Comoros in habitats with woody vegetation, including remnant forest patches, plantations, woodland, scrub, and gardens. Usually found in hyperactive flocks. The most common calls are a high-pitched, rising rattle and a descending “chew” note, which is also the main component of the quiet, chatty song. In its small range, easily identified by the white spectacles.
Yellow Bishop
Euplectes capensis
Chunky and large-billed bishop. Male shows yellow shoulders and rump in all plumages, but is otherwise the black in breeding plumage and streaky brown in non-breeding plumage. The female is brown and heavily streaked below, without yellow highlights. Found in grassland, open woodland, heathland, and cultivation. Usually in flocks, especially when not breeding. Song consists of simple twitters and sizzling notes. Females could be confused with many other species but usually associate with males, which show distinctive yellow shoulders and rump.
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.