Tropical Mockingbird song - Nueva Becal Click on spectrogram to download sound file

Song Description:

The Tropical Mockingbird's song is very similar to that of the migratory Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos), consisting of a long rolling series of buzzy and clear whistled syllables.  Howell and Webb (1995) suggest that the tropical and migratory species cannot be distinguished by song alone.

Song Measures:

The variable syllables that make up the Tropical Mockingbird's song generally fall within a frequency range of 1200 to 3200 Hz and are given at a rate of 1.65 ± 0.16 syllables / second.  Syllables are between 0.25 and 0.5 seconds long and are usually repeated two or three times (less often one or four) before the bird moves to a different syllable (N = eight songs from two individuals).

Singing Behaviour:

Birds generally sing from the top of scrubby bushes, often from a single song post for extended periods.  The majority of singing is done in the early morning, but sporadic song may continue through the hottest part of the day.

Habitat:

Tropical Mockingbirds were found in great abundance in the low shrubs near the brackish marshes in and around the village of Celstun.  Seemingly isolated individuals were encountered at forest edges and in open shrubby areas in Zoh Laguna, Nueva Becal and Merida.

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All information and photographs copyright Daniel J. Mennill 1999.
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