Blue-and-white Mockingbird
Melanotis hypoleucus
Skulking and heard far more often than seen, this fairly large and ample-tailed songbird replaces Blue Mockingbird in highlands and foothills south of Isthmus of Tehuantepec. Favors thickets, dense scrubby woodlands, and forest understory. Behavior similar to Blue Mockingbird: skulking and difficult to see clearly. Plumage striking: denim-blue above with a black mask, white below. Varied songs and calls similar to Blue Mockingbird.
识别特征
The blue-and-white mockingbird is 24.2 to 28 cm (9.5 to 11.0 in) long; 20 specimens had a mean mass of 68 g (2.4 oz). The adults' upperparts are a dull slate blue that is slightly brighter on the crown. The wings and tail are slaty black. A conspicuous black "mask" covers from the lores past the eye. The underparts are white darkening to bluish or slate gray on the flanks and vent area. The juvenile has a similar pattern but its upperparts are dull slaty gray instead of blue.
分类信息
The blue-and-white mockingbird is monotypic. It and the blue mockingbird (Melanotis caerulescens) are the only species in their genus.
- 学名
- Melanotis hypoleucus
- 命名信息
- Hartlaub, 1852
- 目
- Passeriformes
- 科
- Mimidae
- 属
- Melanotis
分布与栖息地
The blue-and-white mockingbird is a year round resident of Mexico from south of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec through Guatemala to El Salvador and southern Honduras. It inhabits a variety of landscapes including the edges of humid evergreen forest, pine-oak forest, second growth, and humid and semi-arid scrublands. In elevation it ranges between 900 and 3,000 m (3,000 and 9,800 ft).
- 迁徙
- Resident species
行为
The blue-and-white mockingbird primarily forages on the ground, by sweeping aside leaf litter with its bill. Though its diet has not been fully documented, its primary food appears to be invertebrates and it also eats small fruits.<p>The blue-and-white mockingbird's breeding season extends at least from May to August. Females build the nest, a shallow cup of fibrous roots on top of a platform of sticks. It is placed in dense thickets or small trees. The clutch size is two. The female incubates the eggs and broods the nestlings but both sexes feed them.<p>The blue-and-white mockingbird's song has been described as "an amazing medley of bird notes...[including] a rapid series of monosyllables, now a shrill squeak, now a whistle, now a guttural croak...certainly not musical or harmonious". It also has a wide variety of calls.
保护状况
- 种群趋势
- declining
照片
分布
鸟叫声
其他鸟类
Abbott's Babbler
Malacocincla abbotti
Plain, sandy-brown babbler with distinct orange-tan tones to the sides. Note grayish tones to the face and the large heavy bill with a hooked tip. Prefers degraded and secondary forest, where it forages quite slowly and methodically on or near the ground, without the frenetic energy of some other babblers. Moves singly or in pairs. Call repertoire is wide, and includes harsh churrs as well as smooth whistles. Song consists of melodic whistles, usually 3-4 notes.
Velvet-browed Brilliant
Heliodoxa xanthogonys
Large, dark hummingbird. Common in tepui highlands. Male is mostly shining green, especially on the throat, breast, and forehead; female is white below with extensive green spotting. Both sexes have conspicuous white spot behind eye. Occurs in a wide variety of habitats including tall forest, edge, and open scrub at middle and high elevations (above 800 m) in tepui region. Feeds on nectar and defends patches of flowers from other hummingbirds. Gives loud, sharp chip note while foraging. No other large, green hummingbird occurs in its limited range.
Wailing Cisticola
Cisticola lais
Medium-sized, streak-backed cisticola of uplands. Shows a rufous cap and rufous in the wing. Varies geographically in overall coloration, boldness of streaking on the back, and other traits. Found in grassland and savanna on rocky slopes with a mix of bushes, grass, and often aloes. Generally inconspicuous; seen singly or in pairs. Vocalizations include a short, explosive, accelerating trill, and rising wails. Very similar to Red-headed Cisticola, but has a different voice, a larger bill, more buffy underparts, and shows rufous in the wing. Also similar to Rattling Cisticola, but has more rufous in the face and a longer tail. As with all cisticolas, habitat and voice are important cues in identification.
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