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MOCKINGBIRDS AND ALLIES (MIMIDAE; 2 SPECIES) New World family

of slender, long-tailed birds noted for varied songs. Ages differ slightly, adult appearance

attained within a month or so of fledging; sexes similar.

GRAY CATBIRD  Dumetella carolinensis 20–21.5cm. Distinctive winter mi-

grant favoring humid thickets, forest edge, and second growth with fruiting

shrubs. Mainly singles, skulking at low to mid-levels in cover, but sometimes

ventures into more open canopy, and at times birds gather at fruiting bushes.

No similar species in Costa Rica. SOUNDS:  Complaining nasal mew, may

suggest a cat, meéah, and rougher nyaah; abrupt mewing cluck, myeh!; short

hard rattle in alarm, mainly in flight. STATUS: Fairly common mid-Oct to mid-

Apr on Caribbean slope, to 1500m, a few from Sep and into early May; rare or

very rare on Pacific slope. (Breeds N America, winters Mexico to Panama.)

*VIEILLOT’S [TROPICAL] MOCKINGBIRD  Mimus gilvus 24–26cm.

Distinctive mimid of varied semi-open and open habitats, with trees, hedgerows,

fruiting shrubs, especially residential areas, gardens, playing fields. Runs well on

ground, often stopping with tail cocked; also feeds on fruit in bushes and trees,

often on roadside wires and atop utility poles. No similar species in Costa Rica:

note overall pale gray plumage, dark mask, slender black bill, broad white tail

tip, habits. Juv. has variable dark spotting on underparts. SOUNDS: Calls include

a gruff chek! and downslurred cheuh. Song notably varied, may suggest a Turdus

thrush: typically prolonged but variably disjointed, an unhurried medley of rich

and burry whistles and clucks with frequent repetition of notes or phrases; often pauses of 2–5 secs

between sets of phrases. STATUS: Uncommon to fairly common locally and increasing on Pacific slope, to

2200m; less numerous but also increasing on Caribbean slope. First reported Costa Rica in 2000, having

spread nw. from Panama. (Cen America to S America.)

THRUSHES (TURDIDAE; 15 SPECIES) Worldwide family of small to medium-size

songbirds with slender bills, often pleasing songs. Ages differ, adult appearance attained within

a month or so of fledging; sexes similar or different.

MOUNTAIN THRUSH  Turdus plebejus 22.5–25cm. Drab gray-brown thrush

of humid highland forest and edge, adjacent clearings and second growth with

fruiting shrubs; forms small flocks in winter. Feeds in trees and shrubs, also on

ground in damp pastures. Note black bill, dark legs, overall plain cold-toned

plumage with paler edgings to undertail coverts; cf. Pale-vented and Clay-

colored Thrushes. Juv. warmer-toned overall, upperparts flecked cinnamon-

buff, breast mottled and spotted dark brown and buff; soon like adult.

SOUNDS:  Song a singularly underwhelming, tedious, rather fast-paced and

tuneless chirping, chu-chu-chi-chrih-chrih-chi-chu..., about 3 notes/sec with the

same note often repeated several times; can last a min or longer. Call a low wooden cluck, at times in short

series; high thin siip mainly in flight. STATUS: Fairly common to common, mainly from 1300m to

timberline; in winter ranges lower, locally down to 900m. (Mexico to w. Panama.)

SOOTY THRUSH  Turdus nigrescens 24.5–27cm. Large, distinctive dark

thrush of highlands, favoring more-open areas such as páramo, forest clearings,

second growth; ranges locally into oak forest. Feeds mainly on ground, also in

fruiting shrubs and trees. Distinctive, with bright yellow-orange bill, yellow

legs, pale eyes; female averages duller overall. SOUNDS: Song an unhurried,

rather ‘boring’ chant of variably rich, squeaky, and burry chirps, chirih chirih

tchih tchih tchih..., at most 1–2 notes/sec with notes often repeated several

times; on occasion, short warbling phrases inserted to relieve the cadence. Call

a low burry or gravelly chehrr, at times in short series and repeated rapidly.

STATUS: Fairly common to common, mainly above 2400m; locally down to 2100m in fall–winter. (Costa

Rica to w. Panama.)