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Mimidae - Mockingbirds, Thrashers, Catbirds

 

Classification

 Phylum: Chordata
 Class: Aves
 Order: Passeriformes 
 Family: Mimidae
Northern MockingbirdThere are 35 bird species in this family. They are all found in North and South America. The birds in this family are known for their vocalizations. Some, like the northern mockingbird, have the ability to mimic the calls of other birds and even the sounds of cats, cars, and other sounds!

The birds in this family are medium-sized, usually between 8-12 inches in length. They are usually gray to brown in color and have small to medium bills; long legs; short, rounded wings; and a long tail. Males and females look alike. Most species in this family forage on the ground for seeds, insects, nuts, and berries.

galleryMimidae Photo Gallery

World Status Key
Least ConcernLeast Concern Near ThreatenedNear Threatened VulnerableVulnerable EndangeredEndangered Critically EndangeredCritically Endangered extinct in the wildExtinct in Wild extinctExtinct
Status and range is taken from ICUN Redlist. If no status is listed, there is not enough data to establish status.

US Status Key
Threatened in USThreatened in US Threatened in New HampshireThreatened in NH Endangered in USEndangered in US Endangered in NHEndangered in NH breeds in nhBreeds in NH IntroducedIntroduced
Status taken from US Fish and Wildlife and NH Fish and Game

  New Hampshire Species

 

 North/Central American Species

Brown Thrasher - Toxostoma rufum Least Concern breeds in NH
Gray Catbird - Dumetella carolinensis Least Concern breeds in NH
Northern Mockingbird - Mimus polyglottos Least Concern breeds in NH

  Bahama Mockingbird - Mimus gundlachii Least Concern
White-banded Mockingbird - Mimus triurus Least Concern
Sage Thrasher - Oreoscoptes montanus Least Concern
White-breasted Thrasher - Ramphocinclus brachyurus Endangered
Bendire's Thrasher - Toxostoma bendirei Vulnerable
Gray Thrasher - Toxostoma cinereum Least Concern
Crissal Thrasher - Toxostoma crissale Least Concern
Curve-billed Thrasher - Toxostoma curvirostre Least Concern
Cozumel Thrasher - Toxostoma guttatum Critically Endangered
Le Conte's Thrasher - Toxostoma lecontei Least Concern
Long-billed Thrasher - Toxostoma longirostre Least Concern
Ocellated Thrasher - Toxostoma ocellatum Least Concern
California Thrasher - Toxostoma redivivum Least Concern
Brown Thrasher - Toxostoma rufum Least Concern

North/Central American Species

 
Gray Trembler - Cinclocerthia gutturalis Least Concern
Black-capped Donacobius-Donacobius atricapilla Least Concern
Pearly-eyed Thrasher - Margarops fuscatus Least Concern
Scaly-breasted Thrasher - Margarops fuscus Least Concern
Black Catbird - Melanoptila glabrirostris Least Concern
Blue Mockingbird - Melanotis caerulescens Least Concern
Blue-and-white Mockingbird - Melanotis hypoleucus Least Concern
Tropical Mockingbird - Mimus gilvus Least Concern
Socorro Mockingbird - Mimus graysoni Critically Endangered
 

Other Species Around the World

Africa Africa Asia Asia Australia Australia/Oceania Europe Europe North America North America South AmericaSouth America New Hampshire Species NH Species

Gray Trembler - Cinclocerthia gutturalis Least Concern North America
Brown Trembler - Cinclocerthia ruficauda Least Concern North America
Black-capped Donacobius - Donacobius atricapilla Least Concern North America South America
Gray Catbird - Dumetella carolinensis Least Concern North America South America New Hampshire Species breeds in NH
Pearly-eyed Thrasher - Margarops fuscatus Least Concern North America South America
Scaly-breasted Thrasher - Margarops fuscus Least Concern North America
Black Catbird - Melanoptila glabrirostris Least Concern North America
Blue Mockingbird - Melanotis caerulescens Least Concern North America
Blue-and-white Mockingbird - Melanotis hypoleucus Least Concern North America
Brown-backed Mockingbird - Mimus dorsalis Least Concern South America
Tropical Mockingbird - Mimus gilvus Least Concern North America South America
Socorro Mockingbird - Mimus graysoni Critically Endangered North America
Bahama Mockingbird - Mimus gundlachii Least Concern North America
Long-tailed Mockingbird - Mimus longicaudatus Least Concern South America
Espanola Mockingbird - Mimus macdonaldi Vulnerable South America
San Cristobal Mockingbird - Mimus melanotis Endangered South America
Galapagos Mockingbird - Mimus parvulus Least Concern South America
Patagonian Mockingbird - Mimus patagonicus Least Concern South America

  Northern Mockingbird - Mimus polyglottos Least Concern North America New Hampshire Species breeds in NH
Chalk-browed Mockingbird - Mimus saturninus Least Concern South America
Chilean Mockingbird - Mimus thenca Least Concern South America
Floreana Mockingbird - Mimus trifasciatus Critically Endangered South America
White-banded Mockingbird - Mimus triurus Least Concern North America South America
Sage Thrasher - Oreoscoptes montanus Least Concern North America
White-breasted Thrasher - Ramphocinclus brachyurus Endangered North America
Bendire's Thrasher - Toxostoma bendirei Vulnerable North America
Gray Thrasher - Toxostoma cinereum Least Concern North America
Crissal Thrasher - Toxostoma crissale Least Concern North America
Curve-billed Thrasher - Toxostoma curvirostre Least Concern North America
Cozumel Thrasher - Toxostoma guttatum Critically Endangered North America
Le Conte's Thrasher - Toxostoma lecontei Least Concern North America
Long-billed Thrasher - Toxostoma longirostre Least Concern North America
Ocellated Thrasher - Toxostoma ocellatum Least Concern North America
California Thrasher - Toxostoma redivivum Least Concern North America
Brown Thrasher - Toxostoma rufum Least Concern North America New Hampshire Species breeds in NH

Additional Information

Key: profile Profile Photos Photos Video Video Audio Audio

Bendire's Thrasher - Toxostoma bendirei profile Photos Audio Vulnerable North America
Bendire's thrasher is found in Mexico and the United States.
Source: Cornell Lab of Ornithology Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Black Catbird - Melanoptila glabrirostris Photos Least Concern North America
The black catbird is found in Belize, Guatemala, and Mexico.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Brown Thrasher - Toxostoma rufum Photos Least Concern North America New Hampshire Species breeds in NH
The brown thrasher is found in Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, Cuba, Mexico, Netherlands Antilles, Turks and Caicos Islands, and United States.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Brown Thrasher - Toxostoma rufum profile Photos Audio Least Concern North America New Hampshire Species breeds in NH
The brown thrasher is found in thickets and hedgerows.
Source: Cornell Lab of Ornithology Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

California Thrasher - Toxostoma redivivum profile Photos Audio Least Concern North America
The California thrasher is found in Mexico and the United States.
Source: Cornell Lab of Ornithology Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Chalk-browed Mockingbird - Mimus saturninus profile Photos Least Concern South America
The chalk-browed mockingbird is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Suriname, and Uruguay.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Chilean Mockingbird - Mimus thenca profile Photos Video Least Concern South America
The Chilean mockingbird is found in Chile.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Cozumel Thrasher - Toxostoma guttatum profile Photos Critically Endangered North America
The Cozumel thrasher is found in Cozumel Island, Mexico.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Crissal Thrasher - Toxostoma crissale profile Photos Audio Least Concern North America
The Crissal thrasher is found in Mexico and the United States.
Source: Cornell Lab of Ornithology Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Curve-billed Thrasher - Toxostoma curvirostre profile Photos Audio Least Concern North America
The curve-billed thrasher is found in Mexico and the United States.
Source: Cornell Lab of Ornithology Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Espanola Mockingbird - Mimus macdonaldi profile Photos Video Vulnerable South America
The Espanola mockingbird is found in the southeast Galapagos Islands.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Floreana Mockingbird - Mimus trifasciatus profile Photos Critically Endangered South America
The Floreana mockingbird is found in Champion and Gardner-by-Floreana islets in the Galapagos Islands.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Galapagos Mockingbird - Mimus parvulus profile Photos Video Least Concern South America
The Galapagos mockingbird is found in the Galapagos Islands.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Gray Catbird - Dumetella carolinensis profile Photos Audio Least Concern North America South America New Hampshire Species breeds in NH
The gray catbird is found in the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Turks and Caicos Islands, and the United States.
Source: Cornell Lab of Ornithology Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Gray Catbird - Dumetella carolinensis profile Photos Audio Least Concern North America South America New Hampshire Species breeds in NH
The gray catbird can make more than 100 different types of sounds.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Le Conte's Thrasher - Toxostoma lecontei profile Photos Audio Least Concern North America
Le Conte's thrasher is found in Mexico and the United States.
Source: Cornell Lab of Ornithology Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Long-billed Thrasher - Toxostoma longirostre profile Photos Audio Least Concern North America
The long-billed thrasher is found in Mexico and the United States.
Source: Cornell Lab of Ornithology Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Northern Mockingbird - Mimus polyglottos profile Photos Audio Least Concern North America New Hampshire Species breeds in NH
The northern mockingbird is found in the Bahamas, Canada, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Turks and Caicos Islands, United States, Virgin Islands, British, Virgin Islands, and the United States.
Source: Cornell Lab of Ornithology Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Northern Mockingbird - Mimus polyglottos profile Photos Audio Least Concern North America New Hampshire Species breeds in NH
The mockingbird was given its name because of its ability to mimic the calls of dozens of other bird species. In fact, the mockingbird's Latin name, Mimus polyglottos, means many-tongued mimic. The mockingbird has even been known to mimic the sounds of dogs and sirens. The mockingbird is especially vocal on moonlit spring nights.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Patagonian Mockingbird - Mimus patagonicus profile Photos Least Concern South America
The Patagonian mockingbird is found in Argentina, Chile, the Falkland Islands, and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Sage Thrasher - Oreoscoptes montanus profile Photos Audio Least Concern North America
The sage thrasher is found in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Source: Cornell Lab of Ornithology Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

San Cristobal Mockingbird - Mimus melanotis profile Photos Video Endangered South America
The San Cristobal Mockingbird is found on the island of San Cristóbal in the central Galápagos Islands
.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Socorro Mockingbird - Mimus graysoni Photos Critically Endangered North America
The socorro mockingbird is found in Mexico.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

White-breasted Thrasher - Ramphocinclus brachyurus Photos Endangered North America
The white-breasted thrasher is found in Martinique and Saint Lucia.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School