Common name:
San Cristobal mockingbird
Scientific name:
Mimus melanotis
Spanish name:
Cucuve de San Cristóbal
Conservation status:
Vulnerable
Maximum size:
25 centimetres
Average weight:
50 grams
San Cristobal mockingbirds are the smallest of the mockingbird species found in Galapagos. They are largish grey and white birds with a long tail, slightly curved bill, black face mask and a blotchy grey breast. Juveniles have a heavily spotted breast.
They are found across the island of San Cristobal from the coast to the highlands, but they are less common in areas of dense woodland. They are omnivores and feed on a wide range of food items including insects, fruit, small lizards and crabs. They occasionally peck iguanas for ticks.
Unlike other mockingbird species, San Cristobal mockingbirds do not exhibit cooperative breeding, where birds gather in groups and help each other raise their young. On San Cristobal, territories are only held by a single pair. They generally nest from January to April. They build a nest of twigs in trees or Opuntia cacti and lay two to five eggs. The female sits on the eggs and both parents feed the hatchlings.
"50 years after Darwin's visit, the species was extinct on Floreana."
This ambitious reintroduction project aims to bring back one of Floreana's most iconic species, currently restricted to just two tiny islets off the coast of the island.
Help us protect the landbirds of Galapagos by donating today or by adopting a Floreana mockingbird.
