Tropical Mockingbird
Mimus gilvus
Silhouette: Anna Delesmillieres, Titouan Montessuit · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyMimidae (Mockingbirds and Thrashers)
- GenusMimus (Typical Mockingbirds)
- SpeciesMimus gilvus (Tropical Mockingbird)
About the Tropical Mockingbird
The tropical mockingbird (Mimus gilvus) is a resident breeding bird from southern Mexico to northern and eastern South America and in the Lesser Antilles and other Caribbean islands. The tropical mockingbird has sometimes been considered conspecific with its closest living relative, the northern mockingbird (Milvus polyglottos) and forms a superspecies with it. The critically endangered Socorro mockingbird (M. graysoni) is also much closer to these two than previously believed.
The tropical mockingbird has these ten subspecies: M. g. gracilis Cabanis, 1851 M. g. leucophaeus Ridgway, 1888 M. g. antillarum Hellmayr & Seilern, 1915 M. g. tobagensis Dalmas, 1900 M. g. rostratus Ridgway, 1884 M. g. melanopterus Lawrence, 1849
M. g. gilvus (Vieillot, 1808) M. g. tolimensis Ridgway, 1904 M. g. antelius Oberholser, 1919 M. g. magnirostris Cory, 1887 M. g. antelius and M. g. magnirostris have been suggested as separate species but morphological and vocal evidence for the potential splits are weak.
Adult tropical mockingbirds are 23 to 25.5 cm (9.1 to 10.0 in) long. The mean weights of various subspecies vary greatly. Adults of the nominate subspecies... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Tropical Mockingbird in Ostional Wildlife Refuge
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Ostional Wildlife Refuge
Great Kiskadee
Pitangus sulphuratus
Rufous-backed Wren
Campylorhynchus capistratus
Great-tailed Grackle
Quiscalus mexicanus
Tropical Kingbird
Tyrannus melancholicus
Yellow Warbler
Setophaga petechia
Baltimore Oriole
Icterus galbula
Clay-colored Thrush
Turdus grayi
Banded Wren
Thryophilus pleurostictus
Boat-billed Flycatcher
Megarynchus pitangua
White-Throated Magpie-Jay
Calocitta formosa
Melodious Blackbird
Dives dives
Streak-backed Oriole
Icterus pustulatus
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.