San Cristóbal mockingbird
species of bird
The San Cristóbal mockingbird (Mimus melanotis) or Chatham mockingbird, is a species of bird in the family Mimidae. It is endemic to San Cristóbal Island in the Galápagos Islands.
Taxonomy and systematics
The San Cristóbal mockingbird, Galápagos mockingbird (Mimus parvulus), Espanola mockingbird (M. macdonaldi), and Floreana mockingbird (M. trifasciatus) were previously placed in genus Nesomimus and were considered conspecific. They now form a superspecies. The San Cristóbal mockingbird is monotypic.
Description
The San Cristóbal mockingbird is 25 to 26 cm (9.8 to 10.2 in) long. Males weigh an average of 53.2 g (1.88 oz) and females 48 g (1.7 oz). Adults have a thin white supercilium, black lores, and a blackish patch behind the eye. Their crown and upperparts are grayish brown with some darker streaks. The wings and tail are dark brown; the wings when folded show two whitish bars and the outer tail feathers have whitish tips.
The public source identifies “San Cristóbal mockingbird” as species of bird. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Cristóbal, mockingbird and species.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “San Cristóbal mockingbird”, the useful work is to connect “species of bird” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Datasets, specimens, observations and peer-reviewed methods provide the appropriate test for the technical claims summarized here. The source revision retrieved here is dated Oct 6, 2025. The linked authority identifier is Q2669171. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference.
Scientific names, classifications and consensus can change while older terminology persists in catalogues and historical literature. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Check terminology, classification and the date of the cited evidence. Scientific names and technical consensus can change while older records retain historical value.
- Current terminology
- Classification context
- Finding cited technical literature
Primary datasets, specimen catalogues, standards bodies and the most recent peer-reviewed literature.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “San Cristóbal mockingbird”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow San Cristóbal mockingbird primary sources, San Cristóbal mockingbird archive and Cristóbal research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “San Cristóbal mockingbird”?
- Which observation, specimen, dataset or publication supports the account?
- Has classification or technical consensus changed since the cited source?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “San Cristóbal mockingbird” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.