List of Facts About the Northern Mockingbird

Description

• The Northern Mockingbird or "mimus polyglottos," is a slim bird that measures about 9 to 11 inches long. Each wing has two white strips, and there are white patches under the wings that show when the wings are raised. The tail is black with white edges. At times the bird will swing the tail in a back and forth motion. The body is light gray, with an even lighter gray color on the lower breast.

Habitat and Diet

• Mockingbirds are not hard to find, especially if they are singing. They visit lawns or lurk in bushes to search for spiders and insect prey. They also enjoy fruits such as blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, grapes and figs. They are particularly attracted to gardens, farmland fields, open woodland areas, thick bushes beside streams and brush filled desert areas. They are somewhat aggressive birds, especially when it comes to protecting their nests. Their usual habitat is the lower third of the United States from coast to coast.

Music

• Mockingbirds can imitate over 30 different bird songs, one right after the other, without stopping. They may also repeat a song over and over before switching to a new one. They can also repeat other sounds, such as the chirp of a cricket or a noisy hinge. Mockingbirds can be heard at any time of the day, but it is especially vocal on spring nights. Female mockingbirds are attracted to the male bird who sings the most different songs. Lonely males who don't have a mate will sing all night.

Nesting and Breeding

• The mockingbirds make cup-shaped nests primarily out of twigs. The nests are usually constructed 4 to 12 feet above the ground in a shrub or tree. Mockingbird eggs are either blue or green with brown spotting. The female tends to the three to six eggs at a time, which hatch in 10 to 12 days. The young are sheltered for another 10 to 12 days before they leave the nest.