Patagonian Mockingbird

Overview

The Patagonian mockingbird (Mimus patagonicus) is a species of bird in the family Mimidae, classified as Least Concern by the IUCN. It is a fairly common year-round resident found in much of Argentina and locally in Chile.

Identification

• Length of 22 to 25 cm (8.7 to 9.8 in).
• Brown crown with a whitish supercilium and a blackish line through the eye.
• Plain grayish brown upperparts that are paler on the rump; blackish wings showing two thin pale bars when folded.
• Buffy gray underparts, paler on the throat and belly; juveniles display blackish spots on the breast.
• Blackish tail with white outer edges on the outermost feathers and white tips on the others.
• Sings continuously for long periods, producing a warbling series of varied notes and phrases, and mimics other species.

Habitat

Found in open shrublands and bushlands, including the Patagonian steppe, and in somewhat open woodland in southeastern Argentina. Elevation ranges from sea level to 1,800 m (5,900 ft). It is a year-round resident in northwestern and central Argentina, breeding in the south and migrating north in the non-breeding season.

Diet

Forages mostly on the ground, feeding primarily on insects during the breeding season. It adds fruits and berries to its diet in the non-breeding season.

Did you know?

This monogamous species is territorial and maintains family groups that stay together throughout the non-breeding season.