Photo: Ron Knight from Seaford, East Sussex, United Kingdom / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Brown-backed Mockingbird
Mimus dorsalis
Brown-backed Mockingbird (Mimus dorsalis) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South America.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Brown-backed Mockingbird (Mimus dorsalis) is a member of the Mimidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 58.7 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Mimidae Mockingbirds, Thrashers
- Genus Mimus
- Species dorsalis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 58.7 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Mimidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Brown-backed Mockingbird is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Brown-backed Mockingbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Brown-backed Mockingbird (Mimus dorsalis) is a species of bird in the Mimidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across South America. Its distribution covers SA Bolivia and nw Argentina.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 58.7 g, with a wing length of about 11.2 cm and a tail of around 10.6 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 174,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Brown-backed Mockingbird?
The Brown-backed Mockingbird is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 58.7 g.
Where does the Brown-backed Mockingbird live?
The Brown-backed Mockingbird is found across South America with a range covering SA Bolivia and nw Argentina, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Brown-backed Mockingbird belong to?
The Brown-backed Mockingbird (Mimus dorsalis) belongs to the Mimidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Brown-backed Mockingbird eat?
The Brown-backed Mockingbird is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Brown-backed Mockingbird migrate?
The Brown-backed Mockingbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Brown-backed Mockingbird endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Brown-backed Mockingbird make?
1 real field recording of the Brown-backed Mockingbird — including its duet — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Brown-backed Mockingbird's range?
The Brown-backed Mockingbird has a mapped global range of about 174,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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