Biology

The Chilean mockingbird is most commonly encountered foraging on the forest floor, or in low-level vegetation, for insects and fruit (2). As observed by Charles Darwin during his visit to Chile, individuals of this species often have a dusting of yellow pollen around the bill, which is acquired while feeding on small beetles found inside flowers (4). The Chilean mockingbird plays a vital role in the life cycle of the parasitic mistletoe species Tristerix aphyllus by transferring seeds to the host plant, a cactus Echinopsis chilensis. After feeding on the berries, this species defecates on the cactus, where the seeds then germinate and grow into the cactus tissue, later producing flowers and more fruits (5). The Chilean mockingbird is also occasionally the victim of parasitism. The shiny cowbird, a brood parasite, lays its eggs in the Chilean mockingbird's nest (6), which are then unwittingly incubated and brooded by the Chilean mockingbird, often to the detriment of its own offspring (6) (7).