The Northern Mockingbird

The Northern Mockingbird is a medium size bird measuring up to nine inches in length. It is a slender bird with a gray back and wings, and a white chest and belly. It has distinctive white patches on its wings and tail. Both sexes are similar in appearance and difficult to tell apart.

The Northern Mockingbird's range extends from southern Canada, across the entire United States and into Mexico. They are year-round residents in the southern regions of their range.

They require open, grassy areas for feeding, and prefer to nest in thorny shrubs. The males spend a great deal of time perched on a branch in a tree. From there they will sing to the masses beneath them as well as defend their territory.

The Northern Mockingbird's mating season begins in March. In an effort to attract a mate, the male will be come increasingly exuberant. He will flash his wings as he puts on an aerial display, and will often sing while flying from one stopping point to another.

Once mating has occurred, the pair will build a cup-shaped nest in the fork of a tree or hidden within some bushes. The nest is usually built from twigs, leaves, and grass. The male will vigorous defend the nest site and his territory during the mating season.

The female lays three to five eggs. She will incubate the eggs for approximately two weeks. Once hatched, both parents assume responsibility for feeding and caring for the hatchlings. They usually fledge between ten and twelve days after hatching. The Northern Mockingbird will usually produce two broods a year.

Northern Mockingbirds will occasionally visit a birdfeeder, but they prefer ants, beetles, grasshoppers, and other bugs to seeds. When berries ripen, they will claim the tree as their own.

The Northern Mockingbird is a mimic. Its 'song' is a medley of calls of other birds. Each imitation is repeated three or more times in rapid succession before it moves on to another song. Some Mockingbirds have been known to master as many as 180 different calls and 400 songs. Their mimicry skills are phenomenal. They can sound like a barking dog one minute and screeching like a police siren the next.

Common Birds and Their Songs (Book and Audio CD)

This book-audio package provides a unique introduction to fifty of the most familiar birds of North America and the songs they sing. Common Birds and Their Songs will be valuable to anyone interested in birds, from beginner to expert. It's the perfect gift for any birder - or anyone with a bird feeder.

The Northern Mockingbird has declined in some of its southern territory but has expanded its range further northward as forests are cut down and second-growth begins. The population appears to be thriving.