Pearly-eyed Thrasher

Overview

The pearly-eyed thrasher (Margarops fuscatus) is the largest species in the thrasher family Mimidae. It is a non-migratory bird found across many Caribbean islands, ranging from the Bahamas in the north to the Grenadines in the south, with an isolated subspecies on Bonaire.

Identification

• Size: 28 to 30 cm (11 to 11.8 inches) in length.
• Family: Member of the thrasher family Mimidae.

Habitat

Its main habitat consists of bushes and trees in mountain forests and coffee plantations. It has a disjunct distribution throughout the West Indies, including the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Turks and Caicos Islands, parts of the Dominican Republic, and many of the Lesser Antilles.

Diet

Described as an aggressive, opportunistic omnivore, it feeds primarily on large insects but also consumes fruits and berries. It will occasionally eat lizards, frogs, small crabs, and other birds' eggs and nestlings.

Did you know?

In Puerto Rico, the species competes with the critically endangered Puerto Rican amazon for nesting sites and may even destroy the parrot's eggs.