The long-tailed mockingbird (''Mimus longicaudatus'') is a species of

bird Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class (biology), class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the Oviparity, laying of Eggshell, hard-shelled eggs, a high Metabolism, metabolic rate, a fou ...

in the family Mimidae. It is found in

Ecuador Ecuador, officially the Republic of Ecuador, is a country in northwestern South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and the Pacific Ocean on the west. It also includes the Galápagos Province which contain ...

and

Peru Peru, officially the Republic of Peru, is a country in western South America. It is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the south by Chile, and in the south and west by the Pac ...

Taxonomy and systematics

The long-tailed mockingbird has four

subspecies In Taxonomy (biology), biological classification, subspecies (: subspecies) is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (Morphology (biology), morpholog ...

, the nominate ''Mimus longicaudatus longicaudatus'', ''M. l. platensis'', ''M. l. albogriseus'', and ''M. l. maranonicus''.

Description

The long-tailed mockingbird is long and weighs with an average of . Males are slightly larger than females. Adults of the nominate subspecies have a broad white

supercilium The supercilium is a plumage feature found on the heads of some bird species. It is a stripe which runs from the base of the bird's beak above its eye, finishing somewhere towards the rear of the bird's head.Dunn and Alderfer (2006), p. 10 Also k ...

and a black stripe through the eye that touches a black patch on the white cheek. Their crown and upperparts are brownish gray with darker streaks. The wings and long tail are mostly dusky brown, with patches of white that show conspicuously in flight. The throat, belly, and vent area are white and the breast and flanks buff to dull brown. Juveniles are similar to adults with the addition of streaks on the chest.Cody, M. L. (2020). Long-tailed Mockingbird (''Mimus longicaudatus''), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.lotmoc1.01 retrieved July 21, 2021 ''M. l. albogriseus'' is smaller and grayer than the nominate, and the white on its tail tips is more extensive. ''M. l. platensis'' is similar to ''albogriseus'' but closer to the nominate in size and has a longer bill. ''M. l. maranonicus'' is very similar to the nominate and may not truly be a separate subspecies from it.

Distribution and habitat

The long-tailed mockingbird is found mostly along the Pacific coasts of Ecuador and Peru. The nominate ''M. l. longicaudatus'' inhabits most of the length of western Peru. ''M. l. albogriseus'' is in southwestern Ecuador, from central

Manabí Province Manabí () is a province in the Republic of Ecuador. Its capital is Portoviejo. The province is named after the Manabí people. Demographics Ethnic groups as of the Ecuadorian census of 2010: * Mestizo 69.7% * Montubio 19.2% * Afro-Ecuad ...

to Peru. ''M. l. platensis'' is found only on Isla de la Plata, about off the coast of Manabi. ''M. l. maranonicus'' is the anomaly; it is found inland along the upper Río Marañón in northwestern Peru. The long-tailed mockingbird inhabits coastal desert scrub, arid woodland, and hedgerows and tree groves in agricultural areas. It is also found in gardens and parks. The coastal subspecies range from sea level to , while ''M. l. maranonicus'' is found as high as .

Behavior

Feeding

The long-tailed mockingbird primarily forages on the ground and hops and glides between feeding sites. It is

omnivorous An omnivore () is an animal that regularly consumes significant quantities of both plant and animal matter. Obtaining energy and nutrients from plant and animal matter, omnivores digest carbohydrates, protein, fat, and fiber, and metabolize ...

, feeding on invertebrates (both terrestrial and marine), fruits, and berries. It occurs in loose groups in the non-breeding season.

Breeding

The long-tailed mockingbird nests from late December to July in southwestern Ecuador, where its breeding

phenology Phenology is the study of periodic events in biological life cycles and how these are influenced by seasonal and interannual variations in climate, as well as habitat factors (such as elevation). Examples include the date of emergence of leav ...

has been most studied. The species is territorial but the previous brood's young may still be present. Its nest is a rough cup constructed of thorny twigs and lined with finer plant material and hair. It is typically placed in a spiny bush or cactus up to above ground but usually lower. The clutch size is three or four; the eggs are greenish with reddish brown spots and blotches. The nests are commonly parasitized by shiny cowbirds (''Molothrus bonariensis'').

Vocalization

The long-tailed mockingbird's song is "a fairly slow-paced series of variable rich whistled notes, churrs, rattles, squawks, and other noises, often with phrases repeated. Its calls are a throaty "garr!" and rapsing "gaawrr". It is not known to mimic other birds.

Status

The

IUCN The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. Founded in 1948, IUCN has become the global authority on the status ...

has assessed the long-tailed mockingbird as being of Least Concern. The two mainland coastal subspecies are common but their distribution is patchy due to discontinuous

habitat In ecology, habitat refers to the array of resources, biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species' habitat can be seen as the physical manifestation of its ...

. The island home of ''M. l. platensis'', though small, is partially protected by a national park. ''M. l. maranonicus'' also has a small range.

Gallery

Image:Long-tailed Mockingbird RWD1.jpg, Lima, Peru Image:Long-tailed Mockingbird RWD2.jpg, Lima, Peru Image:Mimus Longicaudutus.jpg, Long-tailed mockingbird at a park in Lima, Peru

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2671340 long-tailed mockingbird Birds of Ecuador Birds of Peru long-tailed mockingbird Taxonomy articles created by Polbot