Floreana Mockingbird
Mimus trifasciatus
A fairly large gray-and-white songbird with a long tail, curved bill, and black blotches on sides of breast. Endemic to Galápagos. Now found only on two tiny islets (Gardner and Campeón) off the coast of Floreana Island, it is the only species of mockingbird in its range. Tourists are not allowed to land on these islets, so the birds are usually seen from a boat while they are perched up on cacti or small trees.
Identification
The Floreana mockingbird is 25 to 26 cm (9.8 to 10.2 in) long. Males weigh an average of 65.7 g (2.32 oz) and females 59.8 g (2.11 oz). Adults have a pied appearance. They have a pale supercilium, a black patch in front of the eye, a darkish one below it, and white cheeks. Their crown, upperparts, and tail are grayish brown with a few faint darker streaks. Their whitish underparts have a dark patch on the side of the breast and faint spots on the breast and flanks. The folded wing shows two white bars. The juvenile is similar to the adult but more heavily streaked.
Taxonomy
The Floreana mockingbird, Galapagos mockingbird (Mimus parvulus), Espanola mockingbird (M. macdonaldi), and San Cristobal mockingbird (M. melanotis) were previously placed in genus Nesomimus and were considered conspecific. They now form a superspecies. The Floreana mockingbird is monotypic.
- Scientific name
- Mimus trifasciatus
- Authority
- (Gould, 1837)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Mimidae
- Genus
- Mimus
Range and habitat
The Floreana mockingbird was formerly abundant on Floreana Island but had been extirpated from there by 1888. It now occurs only on two islets off Floreana's shore, Campeón and Gardner-near-Floreana. The islets provide a habitat of low vegetation along their shores and arid scrub with cacti and a few trees inland.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
The Floreana mockingbird mostly forages on the ground, but also in vegetation. It is primarily insectivorous but also eats cactus fruit, carrion, and probably seabird eggs.<p>The Floreana mockingbird's breeding season spans from October to April and two broods are usual. It is a cooperative breeder with up to five adults in each territory of about 2 ha (4.9 acres). The nest is a cup made of twigs lined with finer material; it is almost always placed in a cactus. The clutch size is two to four.<p>The Floreana mockingbird has a "[l]oud, melodious song [and] does not mimic other species."
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Chestnut Bunting
Emberiza rutila
Small, shy bunting, usually seen through a screen of thick shrubby vegetation in low, dense thickets. Brightly colored adult male distinctive, with brilliant chestnut upperparts and a daisy-yellow belly. Female and young males somewhat resemble a female Yellow-breasted Bunting but are much smaller and darker overall, with a less distinct facial pattern and browner underparts. Favors open forests with dense ground covering for breeding, but can be found in a wider range of habitats with suitable cover in the non-breeding season.
Forest Thrush
Turdus lherminieri
An uncommon robin-shaped inhabitant of moist forests where it is usually found feeding on insects and fruits. Its rich gray-brown upperparts and head, combined with bold scaly underparts make it unmistakable within its range. The call is a loud smack. Sings a variety of whistles and other sounds, often uttered in distinct phrases usually from a concealed mid-level perch.
Dunlin
Calidris alpina
Small, plump shorebird with droopy bill. Breeding plumage is distinctive with rufous or brown back and black belly. In fall and winter, plain grayish-brown above with white belly. Often in large flocks on mudflats and beaches, sometimes mixing with other shorebirds. Breeds on Arctic tundra; winters on coastlines throughout the Northern Hemisphere; typically less common inland. A late migrant, especially in fall; lingers longer at higher latitudes than most other small shorebirds. Very similar to Curlew Sandpiper in nonbreeding plumage, but Dunlin is more compact, shorter-winged and shorter-legged, and darker. Droopy bill might recall Western Sandpiper, but Dunlin is larger and darker. Also compare with Purple Sandpiper, which is even darker and more spotted and has orange legs. Listen for loud, slightly buzzy “dzeer!” calls.
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