Mockingbirds are a familiar sight in many backyards, known for their impressive ability to mimic a wide array of sounds. These adaptable birds, especially the Northern Mockingbird, often settle in suburban and urban areas. Understanding their dietary needs is important for supplemental feeding.
Natural Diet
Mockingbirds are omnivores, eating both plant and animal matter. During warmer months, their diet primarily consists of insects. They hunt for beetles, grasshoppers, caterpillars, ants, wasps, small lizards, and earthworms, often foraging on the ground or swooping from a low perch.
As seasons change and insects become less abundant, mockingbirds shift their diet to focus more on fruits and berries. They consume a variety of wild fruits, including mulberries, blackberries, elderberries, holly berries, and honeysuckle.
Safe Supplemental Foods
When offering supplemental food, consider items aligning with their natural diet. Small pieces of fresh fruit are readily accepted, such as apples, pears, oranges, grapes, and berries like blueberries and raspberries. Always cut fruits into small pieces and remove any seeds or pits, as these can contain harmful compounds.
Fruit- or insect-based suet provides valuable energy, especially during colder months. While mockingbirds do not typically hang from feeders, they readily eat suet from a platform feeder or when spread on tree trunks. Live or dried mealworms are an excellent protein source and highly attractive. Place these in a shallow dish on a platform feeder. A consistent source of fresh water in a bird bath is also important for drinking and bathing.
Foods to Avoid
Certain human foods can be harmful to mockingbirds and should never be offered. Bread products provide minimal nutritional value and can swell in a bird’s stomach, leading to digestive issues. Avocado contains persin, a toxin that can cause breathing problems and heart failure. Chocolate contains toxic theobromine and caffeine, leading to hyperactivity, tremors, or cardiac arrest.
Salty foods, such as chips or crackers, can cause dehydration, kidney problems, and even death due to a bird’s sensitive electrolyte balance. Processed foods often contain artificial ingredients, excessive sugar, and unhealthy fats. Birds are largely lactose intolerant, so milk and most dairy products can cause digestive upset. Raw meat can spoil quickly and harbor bacteria, posing a health risk.
Attracting Mockingbirds
Beyond direct food offerings, creating an inviting habitat can attract mockingbirds to your yard. Planting native berry-producing shrubs and trees, such as holly, dogwood, elderberry, and mulberries, provides natural food sources. These plants also offer sheltered spots for nesting and protection from predators.
Dense shrubs and trees are important for mockingbirds to establish territories and find safe nesting sites. Providing a reliable water source, such as a bird bath or shallow water dish, encourages them to visit for drinking and bathing. Avoiding pesticides in your yard helps maintain a healthy insect population, a primary food source, especially during breeding season.