The Northern Mockingbird, Mimus polyglottos, is a medium-sized bird common across North America, adapting easily to open areas, forest edges, and urban settings like parks and backyards. Its scientific name, which translates to “many-tongued mimic,” hints at the bird’s most famous talent. The mockingbird’s distinctive behaviors have made it a notable figure in U.S. culture, even earning it the status of state bird in five different states.
The Art of Vocal Imitation
The mockingbird’s repertoire is a complex collection of sounds. A single male bird may accumulate over 200 distinct songs throughout its life, repeating each phrase two to six times before moving on to a new sound. This vocal array includes the calls of other birds, such as jays, orioles, or robins, and non-avian sounds from the environment.
Mockingbirds flawlessly mimic artificial noises like car alarms, sirens, squeaky gates, and mechanical sounds. The purpose of this singing is primarily tied to reproduction and territory, as a varied song repertoire signals the male’s age and fitness to potential mates. Unmated males often sing late into the night, especially near bright streetlights. This nocturnal singing is an effort to attract a female and declare his territory to rivals.
Methods of Foraging and Diet
The Northern Mockingbird is an omnivore, and its diet shifts seasonally. During the warmer spring and summer months, the bird primarily feeds on arthropods like grasshoppers, beetles, spiders, ants, and wasps. It captures these insects mainly by walking and running across open ground, often stopping to watch from a low perch before flying down to secure its meal.
The mockingbird uses a “wing-flashing” display while running or hopping, briefly spreading its wings in a two-step motion. This action flashes the large white patches on its wings. The exact reason for the display is debated, but hypotheses suggest it may startle insects, making them easier to catch, or serve as a signal to rivals. As temperatures drop in the fall and winter, the diet shifts, relying heavily on fruits and berries, including holly berries, mulberries, and dogwood, as insects become scarce.
Fierce Territorial Protection
Mockingbirds are highly territorial and dedicate effort to maintaining their claimed space. They often perch conspicuously on high points like treetops or fence posts to survey their domain and announce their presence. Unlike many bird species, they defend their territory year-round, not just during the spring breeding season, especially if a valuable food source is present.
The defense of a nest, young, or food supply is aggressive, involving loud scolding calls and aerial attacks. Mockingbirds are known to “dive-bomb” and chase away intruders. They will harass domestic pets like cats and dogs, and even target humans they perceive as a repeated threat to their nesting area. They can learn to identify and selectively harass individual humans who repeatedly encroach on their space, while ignoring strangers passing through.