The Northern Mockingbird
The Northern Mockingbird whose name, Mimus polyglottos, means “mimic of many tongues,” is one of the most widely-known songbirds in the country. It is renowned for its wide repertoire of songs and its ability to mimic other noises. The mockingbird can sing up to 200 songs, including the songs of 39 bird species, the noises made by insects and amphibians, the bark of a dog and even mechanical noises. The mockingbird is unique in that it continues to expand its “song list” throughout its life span.
A medium-sized songbird, the Northern Mockingbird averages 10 inches in length, and is dull gray in color with a paler gray belly. It is a slim bird with long, white tail feathers. The mockingbird's wings are nearly black, with patches of white that are conspicuous when it is flying. It can be difficult to distinguish the sex of a mockingbird because males and females are very similar in appearance; males, however, are slightly larger than the females.
Mockingbirds are perpetually territorial, and will sing to mark that territory, but during the nesting season between March and August, they can be especially aggressive, attacking other birds, and even cats, when they feel threatened. They will also sing from September to November when they are establishing their territory for the winter months.
Because a mockingbird's diet consists mostly of insects, berries and seed, they generally will not use backyard seed feeders, but you may be able to attract this songster by providing a suet feeder or fruit on a platform feeder.
Text adapted from Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology.
No; we have been as usual asking the wrong question. It does not matter a hoot what the mockingbird on the chimney is singing. The real and proper question is: Why is it beautiful? - Bertrand Russell,
English logician and philosopher 1872-1970
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