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40 views8 pages

excursion report final[1] 2

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Hood mockingbird

SCIENTIFIC NAME :Mimus macdonaldi


(Synonymous : Nesomimus macdonaldi)
introduction
Hood mocking bird,which is also known as Española mockingbird is a vertebrate
parasite endemic to the to Española and Gardner Island in Darwin’s
archipelago, located in the country of Ecuador.It is a species of bird in the family
Mimidae,one of four closely related mockingbird species endemic to the islands.
This highly territorial birds, lives in groups of 8-10 birds, sometimes up to 40
individuals. Although omnivorous or scavengers in nature,they might behave as
facultative parasites.

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC

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SYStEmic PoSition (J.Z.Young, 1981)
Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Mimidae
Genus: Mimus
Species: M. macdonaldi

• Binomial name
Mimus macdonaldi

diStribution
Entirely endemic to the small island in Galápagos,called the Hood Island
(Española),measuring approximately 8 mile long and 4 mile wide (13 by 6.5
km) located in Ecuador.

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morPHoLogY
• Length: 26-28 cm
• Weight:
 Males: 76 g
 Females: 65 g
Generally variegated dull grey-brown above, off-white below with variable
amount of darker spotting on chest.
The Hood mockingbird has a much longer, more curved beak than the
Galapagos mockingbird‘s.The very long decurved bill is blackish. The eyes are
yellowish-brown. Legs and feet are black.
Hood mocking birds are dull white on the chest and belly and streaked or
spotted grey to brown colouring on the top. The dark wing feathers appear
edged off-white. They may also have darker spots on the chest.

The Hood mockingbird sports a black streak across its yellow-to-brown eyes,
and has a black bill and legs.

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The adult has scalloped and streaked appearance on the upperparts, with
grey to brownish-grey-edged feathers with blackish-brown centres, darker
on the hindneck. The rump shows browner edges. The tail is dark brown.

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 ParaSitic bEHaviourS:
Owing to the scarcity of food and resources in the island, Hood mockingbird
has developed some unique and bizarre feeding, especially for the crisis in
the dry seasons, a kind sanguivorous, where it drinks blood from wounds on
living sea lions, from sea lion placentas, on marine iguanas and nestling
babies (Sulidae), by frequenting the hunting areas of the Galapagos Hawk. It
removes the ticks and some pieces of dead skin from iguanas, involving
sometimes the creation of small wounds from which it drinks the blood.

The large and decurved bill of Hood Mocking Bird, allows the bird to
perform this type of feeding behaviour. The birds can eat blood from
animals’ fresh wounds or eat congealed blood from the sand. Engorged ticks
and skin are picked from live iguanas.
The large and decurved bill of Hood Mocking Bird, allows the bird to perform
this type of feeding behaviour. The birds can eat blood from animals’ fresh
wounds or eat congealed blood from the sand. Engorged ticks and skin are
picked from live iguanas.

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 intEractionS witH HoSt:
The Hood Mockingbird’s fearlessness and willingness to eat just about
anything are adaptations which have helped it to survive in the Galapagos.
The mockingbirds, like most Galapagos species, are quite unafraid of people
and very curious. It is not uncommon for them to land on a visitor’s head and
they will explore any unknown object, always looking for food or drink.

The bird will chase after tourists in search of food, drink, or any unusual
object. In some cases, the species will attempt to obtain water from tourists
by pecking at their water bottles or even open the zips of unattended bags.

The Hood Mockingbird is sedentary, only performing short-distance flights


between groups.
The Hood mockingbird is extremely aggressive. Groups of up to 40
individuals occupy and mutually defend a group territory, intruders being
intimidated by consolidated displays of aggression. In less optimal territories
(e.g., those without access to colonies), group size is smaller.
They are extremely territorial, with an established hierarchy within the
group. A typical behaviour, a begging display indicating submission,

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conSErvation StatuS :
Hood Mocking Bird is classified as vulnerable by the IUCN,as they have a very
restricted range of region. The population is estimated to be fewer than
2,500 individuals left in the wild.

The fragile ecosystem and high risk of adverse weather conditions put the
species at particular risk of population loss. The species is threatened by the
introduction of pest species(rats), parasites and diseases.

EvoLutionarY SigniFicancE
Of very great significance with regard to evolutionary and behavioral
studies. The Galápagos fauna also has a major economic impact on the
finances of Ecuador by virtue of the significant influx of foreign capital from
tourism and from visiting zoologists.

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