Hobbies And Interests
Courtship
Depending on the part of the country, mockingbirds may nest from early March until late August. The male does most of the work building each nest, but the female assists. In spring, the male uses the construction process as part of his courtship behavior. A male may begin construction on several nests early in the season, but ultimately the female chooses the final site. Generally, the pair builds a new nest for each clutch of eggs.
Materials
Mockingbird nests are somewhat bulky structures that begin with a platform of twigs. On this, the birds place leaves, grasses, mosses and other natural or artificial fibers. They line this sturdy cup with soft materials, such as moss, fabric, paper or the leaves and stems of local plants. Mockingbirds are quite adaptable and choose any available materials that are soft, easy to pack, and located nearby.
Location
Mockingbirds build their nests fairly low --- most are from 3 to 10 feet above ground. Mockingbirds prefer evergreen trees and shrubs for nesting locations. In a study done by Amelia Laskey in Tennessee, over 50 percent of the nests she located were in evergreens, with a large percentage of these in cedar trees. Mockingbirds clearly prefer evergreens for early season nests, when deciduous trees have not leafed out. Nests built later in a season may be in oak, maple or fruit trees. Mockingbirds may also choose shrubs, especially ones bearing fruits and berries.
The Clutch
Mockingbirds average about four eggs per clutch. After she lays the last egg, the female incubates the clutch as the male looks on, singing and joining his mate when she feeds. Eggs hatch after between 11 and 13 days. The parents feed the young for another 14 days. The entire process from incubation until the fledglings leave the nest takes about 24 days, after which the breeding pair may start building a new nest.