Bahama Mockingbird
Bahama Mockingbird
Mimus gundlachii
At a Glance
A localized resident of the Bahamas and a few other islands in the western Caribbean, the Bahama Mockingbird has strayed to southern Florida on a number of occasions since the early 1970s. One male returned for several springs to Key West, where it may have interbred with local Northern Mockingbirds.
All bird guide text and rangemaps adapted from Lives of North American Birds by Kenn Kaufman© 1996, used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Category
Mockingbirds and Thrashers, Perching Birds
IUCN Status
Least Concern
Habitat
Forests and Woodlands, Shrublands, Savannas, and Thickets
Region
Florida
Behavior
Direct Flight, Rapid Wingbeats
Range & Identification
Description
Sexes similar — Length: 9-10 in (22-25 cm); wingspan: 12-13 in (30-33 cm); weight: 1.4-1.9 oz (40-55 g). The Bahama Mockingbird is bigger and dingier than a Northern Mockingbird. Lacks white wing patch and white outer tail feathers (has small white tips on tail). Has heavy dark streaks along flanks (but note that juvenile Northern Mockingbird is also streaked below).
Size
About the size of a Robin
Color
Black, Brown, Gray, Tan
Wing Shape
Broad
Tail Shape
Long, Rounded, Wedge-shaped
Songs and Calls
Song of varied notes and phrases. Does not mimic other species.
Call Pattern
Falling, Flat, Rising, Undulating
Call Type
Chatter, Rattle, Whistle
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