Mimus polyglottos

Description

A northern mockingbird has a white front and a pale gray back, tail, and wings. It has a dark eyeline, white wing patches and two white wingbars, and a long tail with white outer feathers.

Voice

These birds have many different calls and songs. Their main call is "chak" and most of their other calls and songs are immitations of other birds. Northern mockingbirds repeat their songs two to six times.

Breeding

April to September

Habitat

Northern mockingbirds like towns, farms, and brushy fields.

Diet

These birds eat fruit, seeds, and insects. A northern mockingbird will wave its wings over its head to scare insects out of hiding.

Range

You can find northern mockingbirds in Mexico and most of the United States year-round.

Other Useful Information

These birds are very protective of their nest areas and usually stay by themselves.

Similar Species

Northern shrikes look a lot like northen mockingbirds; however, shrikes have dark face masks and a very hooked bill.