# Pearly-eyed Thrasher

Scientific name: Margarops fuscatus

Bird group: [mimid](https://birdsofpuertorico.com/family/mimid)

Canonical source: https://birdsofpuertorico.com/bird/238/Pearly-eyed-Thrasher

## Identification

The pearly-eyed thrasher (Margarops fuscatus) is a bird in the thrasher family Mimidae. It is found on many Caribbean islands, from the Bahamas in the north to the Grenadines in the south, with an isolated population on Bonaire. At least two subspecies can be distinguished genetically: Margarops fuscatus fuscatus which is found between the Greater Antilles and Antigua and Barbuda, M. f. densirostris, occurring from Montserrat and Guadeloupe southwards. Its main habitat is bushes and trees in mountain forests and coffee plantations.


## Distribution and habitat

The Pearly-eyed Thrasher is a widespread species throughout 
the West Indies (Arendt 2006, 
Raffaele and others 1998). In 
Puerto Rico, it is a common 
resident throughout Puerto Rico 
(Arendt 2006, Raffaele and others 
1998, Recher and Recher 1966), 
Mona (Biaggi 1997, Terborgh and 
Faaborg 1973), Vieques (Gemmill 
2015, Saliva 1994, Wetmore 
1916), and Culebra (Wetmore 
1917). This species is commonly 
found in trees and bushes in 
gardens, coffee plantations, 
mountain forests (Oberle 2018), 
thickets, woodlands, mangroves, 
coastal palm groves, mountain 
tops, urban areas, and forested areas at all elevations (Raffaele 
and others 1998). The atlas 
fieldwork yielded a total of 781 
records within 370 hexagons 
or 77 percent of the 479 total 
hexagons (see map). Of the 370 
hexagons where this species 
was found, breeding met the 
atlas definition of confirmed in 
13 percent (49) of the hexagons, 
probable in 43 percent (158), 
and possible in 44 percent (163) 
(see map). Pearly-eyed Thrasher distribution. The map shows the highest breeding code by hexagon and overlaying the ecological life zones in 
Puerto Rico. Note: percentages may not total 100 due to rounding. 

## Breeding

The Pearly-eyed Thrasher builds a bulky nest made of twigs, 
sticks, dried grasses, and roots 
(Arendt 2006, Biaggi 1997, 
Raffaele and others 1998). The       229Pearly-eyed Thrasher/Zorzal Pardothrasher is a predator of eggs and nestlings of many small bird 
species. It is known to compete 
with Puerto Rican Parrots for nest 
cavities and will destroy parrot 
eggs and kill parrot nestlings 
(Snyder and others 1987). 
Previously published reports 
indicate that it breeds from 
December to September, and 
the nests are usually constructed 
in a cavity, though occasionally 
open nests are placed in a bush 
or tree (Arendt 2004, Raffaele 
and others 1998), as well as 
on or in buildings (Snyder and 
others 1987). However, on 
Mona Island, nests have been 
found inside caves and in deep 
crevices on the cliffs (Barnés 1946). Atlas results show that 
this species breeding season 
extends throughout the year with 
the most breeding activity from 
March to June (see chart). The 
breeding activity peaks in June, 
and the overall breeding pattern 
mostly takes place within the 
subtropical moist forest life zone 
(see chart). Atlas results show 
that this species breeds mostly 
within the subtropical moist 
forest life zone (59 percent of the 
hexagons) throughout the island. 
It also breeds in the subtropical 
dry (20 percent of the hexagons) 
and subtropical wet and lower 
montane wet forest life zones (21 
percent of the hexagons) (see 
table and map).

## Conservation

The global population size of the Pearly-eyed Thrasher has 
not been quantified or assessed, 
but it is described as common 
(Stotz and others 1996). This 
species is currently listed as a 
species of least concern by the 
IUCN (BirdLife International 2016). Locally, this species is not listed in any of the threatened categories of PRDNER and 
USFWS. In Puerto Rico, the 
Pearly-eyed Thrasher has a 
protected habitat in land of 12 
percent or 1041 km2 of the total area covered by the hexagons 
where evidence of breeding 
was found for this species 
(8824 km2). 

Photo: https://birdsofpuertorico.com/static/images/webp/in_238_Im0.png.webp

Distribution map: https://birdsofpuertorico.com/static/images/webp/in_238_Im1.png.webp

Source note: Text is reproduced from this site's published record. Historical conservation statements and taxonomy have not been independently revalidated. See https://birdsofpuertorico.com/about for source credits and limitations.