About Mimus parvulus (Gould, 1837)
Like all mockingbirds native to the Galápagos, Mimus parvulus is long-tailed and relatively long-legged, with a long, slender, decurved beak. This species has a whitish stripe behind its eye, blackish-brown lores and ear-patch, and a broad white collar. Its crown is dark brown, and the upperparts are greyish-brown with darker brown streaks. The flight feathers are dark brown with two white wing-bars. The underparts are whitish, with a small number of brownish streaks on the breast and flanks. It has yellowish irises, and its bill and legs are black. The Galápagos mockingbird is the most widespread of the mockingbird species in the Galápagos, occurring on most of the major islands and many of the minor islands of the archipelago. Like other mockingbirds on the islands, the Galápagos mockingbird is an omnivore. Its diet ranges from seeds and invertebrates to eggs, baby turtles, and Galápagos sea lion placentas. Research indicates this species may be an effective distributor of invasive plant species across the islands. It eats more fruit than several tested species of Darwin's finches, and seeds that pass through its digestive tract generally remain viable.
