Black Catbird Melanoptila glabrirostris Scientific name definitions

The sole member of its genus, Black Catbird is one of the smallest of the Mimidae, and is endemic to the Yucatán Peninsula of eastern Mexico, northern Belize and northern Guatemala, including the offshore island of Cozumel and other smaller cays. It formerly was present in Honduras, from whence the type specimen originates, but has not been recorded there since the 1850s. The species is uniformly glossy blue-black, with dark reddish irides, a long tail and rather short wings. Black Catbird inhabits scrubby, low-stature woodland and thorn scrub, where it is generally fairly common, at least over much of the species’ mainland range. Although considered to be largely resident and sedentary, this catbird appears to vacate the drier northern Yucatan Peninsula between late summer and early winter.

19–20·5 cm; 31·6–42 g, average 36·3 g. This and Dumetella are the smallest mimids; has wings short and rounded, tail somewhat long. Plumage is uniform glossy blue-black ; iris dark reddish; bill and legs black. Sexes alike, female slightly less heavy than male. Juvenile is brownish-grey, mottled below, iris grey.

Yucatán Peninsula S to S Campeche (Mexico), N Guatemala and N Belize, including Cozumel I and other nearby Caribbean reefs.

Scrub, deciduous thorn-scrub, woodland edges and low deciduous woodland with dense shrub understorey; on Yucatán Peninsula , drops out to S when woodland becomes taller, more open beneath canopy. Abundant in thickets and low woodland edge on Cozumel I. Habitat generally similar to that occupied by Dumetella carolinensis in SE USA. At low elevations.

Largely resident; may move S seasonally from drier N parts of Yucatán Peninsula in late summer to early winter.

No detailed studies. Forages low down; gleans insects in dense, shrubby vegetation. Superficially similar to Dumetella carolinensis in foraging habits.

Repeated phrases of harsh, scratchy to warbled, fluty notes. Call notes a nasal “chrrh”, harsh “rriah”, and grating “tcheeu;” not known to mimic other species.

Nest building starts in early May, in Belize; small young in nest in mid-Aug, at Cancún. Nest an open cup of twigs, lined with finer material, placed c. 2 m high in dense shrub or tree. Black Mangrove (Avicennia germinans), Sapote (Manilkara zapota) and Buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus) favoured nest trees in Belize (1 Morgenthaler, A. (2003). Ecology of the Black Catbird, Melanoptila glabrirostris, at Shipstern Nature Reserve (Belize), and Distribution in Yucatán. MSc thesis, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland. Close ). Clutch 2 eggs, uniform greenish-blue. Incubation by female, period at least 17 days, nestlings fledge after period 12–13 days; chicks fed by both parents (1 Morgenthaler, A. (2003). Ecology of the Black Catbird, Melanoptila glabrirostris, at Shipstern Nature Reserve (Belize), and Distribution in Yucatán. MSc thesis, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland. Close ). Nest loss appears to be high in mainland areas, 74%, but relatively low at Cozumel I, 21%, predation being thought to be the main cause of nest failure (2 Roldán-Clarà, B., LaPergola; J.B., Chapa-Vargas, L. and Calmé, S. (2013). Nest survival in the Neotropical Black Catbird (Melanoptila glabrirostris). Journal of Ornithology. 154(2):491–499. Close ).

Not globally threatened. Currently considered Near Threatened. Relatively common near coast and on islands, but uncommon to rare and local throughout most of mainland range; common on Cozumel I; common to uncommon on other offshore reefs in Mexico and Belize. Uncommon to rare over much of upper Yucatán Peninsula ; rare in Petén area of N Guatemala. Not recorded in Honduras since the type specimen was collected there, at Omoa, in 1855 or 1856; was apparently rare at Omoa when first discovered. In E parts of range, has suffered much loss and fragmentation of habitat through tourism-related developments and the conversion of scrubby woodland and forest to coconut plantations. Range is now fragmented and overall population likely declining. In Belize, although viable populations exist on offshore islands it has been noted as a ‘‘Species of Concern’’ (3 Jones, H. L., and A. C. Vallely (2001). Annotated Checklist of the Birds of Belize. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain. Close ). Much of southern portion of Ambergris Caye has been deforested since 2000, and mangroves are currently being cleared for housing and tourism development. Habitat clearance has also been severe on nearby Caye Caulker, where the Siwa-Ban Reserve was established in 1998 with the express purpose of protecting the population there; it is uncertain whether this initiative has been effective. Although it can persist if tall scrub or pockets of forest remain after tourist development, continuing loss of habitat gives serious cause for concern over this species’ prospects. Nest survival has been found to be low, with 74% failure at Mexican mainland sites (4 Roldán-Clarà, B., LaPergola, J.B., Chapa-Vargas, L. and Calmé, S. (2013). Nest survival in the Neotropical Black Catbird (Melanoptila glabrirostris). Journal of Ornithology. 154(2): 491-499. Close ) and even higher rates in mainland Belize (1 Morgenthaler, A. (2003). Ecology of the Black Catbird, Melanoptila glabrirostris, at Shipstern Nature Reserve (Belize), and Distribution in Yucatán. MSc thesis, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland. Close ); Great-tailed Grackles (Quiscalus mexicanus), which have spread considerably over the past few decades, have been found to be important nest predators (4 Roldán-Clarà, B., LaPergola, J.B., Chapa-Vargas, L. and Calmé, S. (2013). Nest survival in the Neotropical Black Catbird (Melanoptila glabrirostris). Journal of Ornithology. 154(2): 491-499. Close ). Legally designated as "Subject to Special Protection" in Mexico (5 SEMARNAT (2010) Norma Oficial Mexicana NOM-23759-SEMARNAT-22371237, Protección ambiental-Especies nativas de México de flora y fauna silvestres-Categorías de riesgo y especificaciones para su inclusión, exclusión o cambio-Lista de especies en riesgo. Diario Oficial de la Federación, jueves 30 de diciembre de 2010. Gobierno de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos, Mexico D.F. Close ). The species may now warrant global threatened status.