American mousebird

The American mousebird (Neocolius americanus) is a species of mousebird that originally did not exist, but has since been created by SciiFii and introduced throughout the forests, open woodlands, grasslands, shrublands, and scrublands across North America to help boost biodiversity, making it the only species of mousebird in North America. The American mousebird is one of the largest species of mousebird, usually about 35 centimeters (14 inches) long, with the tail comprising approximately half the length, and weighs about 57 grams (2 oz). It is deep brown in overall color on the back and on the head (including a prominent crest). The bill is black on the upper part and is a pinkish color on the lower part. The American mousebird is not known for its voice, as songbirds are, although it is a noisy creature. They make a warbling tsu-tsu call while in flight, and are known for their tisk-tisk alarm call while in flight. The American mousebird is a frugivore which subsists on fruits, berries, leaves, conifer needles, seeds, and nectar, and is not strict in its choice of food from area to area. The American mousebirds are conspicuously social birds, feeding together and engaging in mutual preening. They also accompany each other when they go to ground to dust bathe (also to occasionally to swallow pebbles to assist in grinding up vegetation as they digest it). Upon nightfall, they roost in very tight groups of 20 or so birds and on cold nights they can become torpid. Being in a torpid state could make them easy prey, but the large groups are apparently effective enough to deter most nocturnal predators. The American mousebird may breed during the spring, from mid-March to early June. The nest is a large (for the bird) and untidy cup made of vegetation and animal material (sometimes including cloth and paper) and is constructed by both the male and female. Clutch size ranges from three to eleven eggs (apparently based on latitude), but usually averages 4–8. Nestlings are fed by both parents and also by helpers, which usually are juveniles from previous clutches. The incubation period is fourteen days and the offspring will leave the nest for the first time at about seventeen or eighteen days. After a little over a month, the nestlings will begin foraging for themselves. The conservation status of the American mousebird is Least Concern due to successful conservation efforts, the American mousebird's wide range and its tolerance to many of the human activities.