The Northern Mockingbird -Mimus
polyglottos - is the only mockingbird commonly found in North
America. This bird is mainly a permanent resident, but northern
birds may move south during harsh weather. The bird is the state bird of Mississippi. Mockingbirds
have a strong preference for certain trees such as maple, sweetgum and
sycamore.
Description
The adults have mainly gray
upperparts, but note the blackish wings with striking white wing bars and white
patch (larger in males) at base of primaries. Tail is mainly black, but with
contrasting white outer feathers. Dark line emphasizes the beady yellow eye.
Underparts are pale gray-buff, palest on throat and undertail. Bill is dark and
slightly down curved and legs are dark. Juveniles have paler upperparts, while
underparts are warmer buff and heavily spotted on throat and breast.
Call
The Northern Mockingbird is best
known for its mimicry in North America. It
imitates not only birds but also other animals and mechanical sounds such as
car alarms. They are also some of the loudest and most constantly vocal of
birds. In addition to its well-known song, the Northern Mockingbird uses a
variety of calls to communicate specific information. As with its song, these
calls are among some of the louder sounds produced by birds of its size.
Mockingbirds make a harsh, raspy noise when chasing other birds out of their
territory. A similar but distinct call is used when defending against predators
like a hawk or falcon. Other calls include a wheezing noise, a "chuck"
note, and a very piercing series of notes "high low" repeated twice.
Food
They eat mainly insects in
summer, but switch to eating mostly fruit in fall and winter. These birds
forage on the ground or in vegetation; they also fly down from a perch to
capture food. They mainly eat insects, berries and seeds.
Breeding
The males establish a nesting
territory in early February. If a female enters his territory, the male will
pursue the female with initial aggressive calls and, if she becomes
uninterested, with softer calls. Once the pair is established, their song
becomes gentler. Northern Mockingbirds tend to be monogamous, and the female
may return to the same male from the previous season. Both the male and female
are involved in the nest building. The male does most of the work.
The nest is built approximately
three to 10 feet above the ground. The outer part of the nest is composed of
twigs, while the inner part is lined with grasses, dead leaves, moss or
artificial fibers. The eggs are a light blue or greenish color and speckled
with dots. Three to five eggs are laid by the female, and she incubates them
for nearly two weeks. Once the eggs are hatched, both the male and female feed
the chicks.
The birds aggressively defend
their nest and surrounding area against other birds and animals.
Conservation Status – Least Concern
Common and widespread. Northern
Mockingbirds have rebounded from lows in the nineteenth century, when many were
trapped or taken from nests and sold as cage birds.
Bird watching
The Northern Mockingbird enjoys
making its presence known. It usually sits conspicuously on high vegetation,
fences, eaves, or telephone wires, or runs and hops along the ground. Found
alone or in pairs throughout the year, mockingbirds aggressively chase off
intruders on their territory. Look for Northern Mockingbirds sitting high on
tall shrubs, poles, or utility lines. Around your yard, you can also look for
them running or hopping along your mowed lawn. You may be able to first
identify the presence of a Northern Mockingbird by listening for its song which
usually mimics numerous other birds at once.
Tennessee
Hotspots
Cross Creeks
National Wildlife Refuge
Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge
Reelfoot National
Wildlife Refuge
Chickasaw
National Wildlife Refuge
Lower
Hatchie National
Wildlife Refuge
Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
William B. Clark
Conservation Area