Galapagos Mockingbirds

Category: Land Birds
Family: Mimidae
Endemic Species: Galapagos Mockingbird, Charles Mockingbird, Hood Mockingbird, Chatham Mockingbird

Mockingbirds are medium-sized land birds with long tails, longish legs and long, narrow, decurved bills. The plumage of the species in Galapagos is rather drab, with brownish upperparts and pale underparts..

Scientific Name: Nesomimus melanotis
Family: Mimidae
Length: 25 cm (9.8 in)

Common resident on San Cristobal Island, breeding from October to April nesting in trees or cacti. Range does not overlap with any other species of mockingbird.

Identification: Similar in size and structure to Galapagos Mockingbird but intermediate in plumage between that species and Hood Mockingbird. Shows a narrow white collar, prominent streaking on flanks and sides of breast, which often extends to form a diffuse breast-band, and a distinct dark malar stripe. Iris greenish.

Voice: Loud and melodious but variable.

CHARLES (or Floreana) MOCKINGBIRD

Scientific Name: Nesomimus trifasciatus
Family: Mimidae
Length: 28 cm (11 in)

Rare resident, now confined to the islets of Champion-by-Floreana Island and Gardner-by-Floreana where rhe population is estimated to be around 150 birds. Range does not overlap with any other species of mockingbird. Little information is available on the species’ breeding biology, although it is known to nest on Prickly Pear Opuntia cacti.

Conservation Status: Endangered

Identification: Similar to Galapagos Mockingbird but bill slightly longer and plumage shows extensive dark smudging on flanks and less streaked upper parts. Lacks the dark ear-coverts and white collar of the other mockingbird species. Iris red-brown.

Voice: Loud and melodious but variable.

GALAPAGOS MOCKINGBIRD

Scientific Name: Nesomimus parvulus
Family: Mimidae
Length: 25 cm (9.8 in)

Locally common resident, breeding from October to April and nesting in trees or cacti. Range does nor overlap with any other species of mockingbird. Six subspeeies are recognised: barringtoni (Santa Fe Island); bauri (Genovesa Island); hulli (Darwin Island); parvulus (Fernandina Island, Isabela Island, Santa Cruz Island, North Seymour Island and Daphne Island); personatus (Pinta Island, Marchena Island, Santiago Island and Rabida Island) and wenmani (Wolf Island).

Identification: A medium-sized, streaked land bird with long tail, short wings and narrow, moderately long, decurved bill. Upperparts dark grey-brown; wings dark brown with feathers edged and tipped white. Tail dark with white tip. Under parts white, extending up side of neck to form a broad collar; some streaking on flanks and side of breast. Does nor generally show a distinct malar stripe. White supercilium contrasts with crown and dark ear-coverts. Iris colour varies from reddish-brown to yellowish-green

Voice: Loud and melodious but variable.

HOOD MOCKINGBIRD

Scientific Name: Nesomimus macdonaldi
Family: Mimidae
Length: 28 cm (11 in)

Common resident on Española Island and Gardner-by-Española, breeding from March to April and nesting in trees or cacti. Range does not overlap with any other species of mockingbird.

Identification: The largest of the mockingbirds in Galapagos with the longest and heaviest bill, and the longest legs. Plumage similar to Galapagos Mockingbird but has a narrower and less conspicuous white collar, and shows heavier streaking on flanks and sides of breast which often extends to form a diffuse, mottled breast-band. Prominent dark malar stripe. Iris hazel. It is the most commonly seen mockingbird in a Galapagos cruise.

Voice: Similar to other species of mockingbird but more strident.

Behavior: Travels mainly on foot and rarely flies. Often found in flocks outside the breeding season. Can be extremely tame.