Mimus Explained

Mimus is a bird genus in the family Mimidae. It contains the typical mockingbirds. In 2007, the genus Nesomimus was merged into Mimus by the American Ornithologists' Union.^[1] The genus name is Latin for "mimic".^[2]

The following species are placed here:

• Brown-backed mockingbird, Mimus dorsalis
• Bahama mockingbird, Mimus gundlachii
• Long-tailed mockingbird, Mimus longicaudatus
• Patagonian mockingbird, Mimus patagonicus
• Chilean mockingbird, Mimus thenca
• White-banded mockingbird, Mimus triurus
• Northern mockingbird, Mimus polyglottos
• Socorro mockingbird, Mimus graysoni
• Tropical mockingbird, Mimus gilvus
• Chalk-browed mockingbird, Mimus saturninus

The Nesomimus group includes the following species endemic to the Galápagos Islands:

• Hood mockingbird, Mimus macdonaldi
• Galápagos mockingbird, Mimus parvulus
• Floreana mockingbird or Charles mockingbird, Mimus trifasciatus
• San Cristóbal mockingbird, Mimus melanotis

The Nesomimus group is endemic to the Galápagos Islands. These mockingbirds were important in Charles Darwin's development of the theory of evolution by natural selection.

Previous to the merger between Nesomimus and Mimus scientists have proved in 1971 that both groups can produce hybrids. Robert I. Bowman and Anne Carter have studied a female Galápagos mockingbird and a male from the long-tailed mockingbird subspecies Mimus longicaudatus punensis that have interbred. They raised a hybrid offspring to adulthood.^[3]

External links

• Darwin's Mockingbirds

a site about the Nesomimus group run by Professor Robert L. Curry of Villanova University.

Notes and References

1. http://www.aou.org/checklist/south.php3 American Ornithologists' Union, changes since 2005
2. Book: Jobling, James A . 2010. The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names . Christopher Helm . London . 978-1-4081-2501-4 . 255.
3. BOWMAN, R. I. and A. CARTER (1971). "Egg-pecking behavior in Galapagos mockingbirds". Living Bird 10:243-270. .