Northern Mockingbird

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Northern Mockingbird
Conservation status
Least Concern
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Passeriformes Family: Mimidae Genus: Mimus Species: M. polyglottos
Binomial name
Mimus polyglottos (Linnaeus, 1758)

The Northern Mockingbird, Mimus polyglottos, is the only mockingbird commonly found in North America.

The Northern Mockingbird breeds in southeastern Canada, the United States, northern Mexico, the Bahamas, Cayman Islands and the Greater Antilles. It is replaced further south by its closest relative, the Tropical Mockingbird, Mimus gilvus.

The Northern Mockingbird builds a twig nest in a dense shrub or tree, which it aggressively defends against other birds and animals, including humans. When a predator is persistent, Mockingbirds from neighboring territories, summoned by a distinct call, may join the attack. Other birds may gather to watch as the Mockingbirds harass the intruder.

This bird is mainly a permanent resident, but northern birds may move south during harsh weather. This species has occurred in Europe as an extreme rarity.

These birds forage on the ground or in vegetation; they also fly down from a perch to capture food. They mainly eat insects, berries and seeds. While foraging they frequently spread their wings in a peculiar two-step motion to display the white patches. The purpose of this behavior is disputed. Some ornithologists say this is purely a territorial display, while others say that flashing the white patches startles hiding insects and forces them into the open.

Mockingbirds' willingness to nest near houses, loud and frequent songs, and territorial defense often annoy people. John van der Linden, the author of the Eastern Birding Central FAQ, says that 25 to 50 percent of the e-mail questions he receives are about how to deal with annoying mockingbirds.

Mockingbirds have a strong preference for certain trees such as maple, sweetgum, and sycamore. They generally avoid pine trees after the other trees have grown their leaves. Also, they have a particular preference for high places, such as the topmost branches of trees. Mockingbirds are often found in urban and suburban areas, where they perch on telephone poles, streetlights, or high points on buildings. While singing on a high perch they will often bolt several feet into the air in a looping motion, with wings outstretched to display their white underside, then land back on the perch without breaking a note. That serves as a territorial display.

Contents 1 Song and calls 2 Mockingbird in US culture 3 References 4 External links 5 Further reading 5.1 Book 5.2 Articles

[edit] Song and calls

Although many species of bird imitate other birds, the Northern Mockingbird is the best known in North America for doing so. It not only imitates birds but also other animals and mechanical sounds. As convincing as these imitations are to humans, they often fail to convince other birds, such as the Florida Scrub-Jay.

The Northern Mockingbird's mimicry is likely to serve as a tool for increasing the size of its repertoire and thus its ability to attract females. The Mockingbird is limited to imitating short units of sound, which it repeats several times before moving on to a new sound. As a result, the Mockingbird sounds much better (to a human ear) imitating some species than others. Species with repetitive songs, such as the Carolina Wren are effectively copied, but species with long, complex songs, such as the Song Sparrow, cannot be effectively imitated by the Mockingbird.

The Northern Mockingbird, in addition to being a good mimic, is also one of the loudest and most constantly vocal of birds. It often sings through the night, especially unmated males, or when the moon is full. It sings year-round except sometimes for the late-summer moulting season. Individual males have repertoires of 50 to 200 songs; females sing as well, but more quietly and less often than males. Mockingbirds usually sing the loudest in the twilight of the early morning when the sun is on the horizon.

In addition to its well-known song, the Northern Mockingbird utilizes a variety of calls to communicate specific information. As with its song, these calls are among some of the louder sounds produced by birds of its size. Mockingbirds make a harsh, raspy noise when chasing other birds out of their territory. A similar but distinct call is used when defending against predators like a hawk or falcon. Other calls include a wheezing noise, a "chuck" note, and a very piercing series of notes "high low" repeated twice.

[edit] Mockingbird in US culture

• Mockingbirds do not merely have their songs as beautiful sounds. Most of a mockingbird's songs are used as communication, or alert/signal to other birds.
• This is the state bird of Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Texas, all southern states.

• The "Mockingbird" is celebrated in a song of the same name by Barclay James Harvest, and in the title and central metaphor of the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee. In said novel, mockingbirds are portrayed as innocent and generous, and one of the major characters (Atticus) says that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird.

• The traditional American lullaby "Mockingbird" has been recorded in numerous musical styles. The lyrics refer to the fact that Northern Mockingbirds were once popular as pets and begin:

Hush little baby, don't say a word,

Mama's gonna buy you a mockingbird.

And if that mockingbird don't sing,

Mama's gonna buy you a diamond ring.

• The mascot of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga since 1996 is an anthropomorphized mockingbird, or "Moc", named Scrappy

• In the PBS series Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, King Friday XIII made a pet of a wooden bird on a stick, who he called Mimus polyglottos. This stick-bird moved up and down when it spoke to King Friday, but it spoke in musical chimes that only the members of the show could understand. King Friday would often sing a detailed song to his bird, with the repeated lyrics "Mimus polyglottos is my pet.." and ending with "Have you met my pet yet?"

[edit] References

• BirdLife International (2004). Mimus polyglottos. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 12 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
• N.T. Owen-Ashley, S.J. Schoech, R.L. Mumme. "Context-specific response of Florida Scrub-jay pairs to Northern Mockingbird mimicry". The Condor, Vol. 104, No. 4. pg. 858-865. (2002)

[edit] External links

• Northern Mockingbird from the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology
• Northern Mockingbird videos on the Internet Bird Collection
• Northern Mockingbird Information - South Dakota Birds and Birding
• Northern Mockingbird - Mimus polyglottos - USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter

[edit] Further reading

[edit] Book

• Derrickson, K. C. and R. Breitwisch. 1992. Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos). In The Birds of North America, No. 7 (A. Poole, P. Stettenheim, and F. Gill, Eds.). Philadelphia: The Academy of Natural Sciences; Washington, DC.: The American Ornithologists’ Union.

[edit] Articles

• Acosta M & Mugica L. (1989). Reproductive Ecology of the Northern Mockingbird Mimus-Poliglottos-Orpheus in the Coastal Thorny Thicket of the National Botanical Garden. Revista del Jardin Botanico Nacional. vol 9, no 2. p. 109-114.

• Arnold JR. (1980). Distribution of the Mockingbird Mimus-Polyglottos in California USA. Western Birds. vol 11, no 2. p. 97-102.

• Baker MC. (1968). Feeding Perching Behavior in the Mockingbird Mimus-Polyglottos Ecology. Condor. vol 70, no 3.

• Balat F & De Las Pozas G. (1981). The Breeding of Mimus-Polyglottos and Zenaida-Macroura in a Peripheral Part of Havana Cuba. Folia Zoologica. vol 30, no 4. p. 339-352.

• Balat F & Delaspozas G. (1981). DATA ON THE BREEDING OF MIMUS-POLYGLOTTOS AND ZENAIDA-MACROURA IN A PERIPHERAL PART OF HAVANA. Folia Zoologica. vol 30, no 4. p. 339-352.

• Barrows EM, Acquavella AP, Weinstein PJS & Nosal RE. (1980). Response to Novel Food in Captive Juvenile Mockingbirds Mimus-Polyglottos. Wilson Bulletin. vol 92, no 3. p. 399-402.

• Biedenweg DW. (1983). Time and Energy Budgets of the Mockingbird Mimus-Polyglottos During the Breeding Season. Auk. vol 100, no 1. p. 149-160.

• Bodily RY & Neudorf DLH. (2004). Mate guarding in northern mockingbirds (Mimus polyglottos). Texas Journal of Science. vol 56, no 3. p. 207-214.

• Boyd M & Ellison K. (2004). Golden-fronted woodpecker consumes Northern Mockingbird nestling. Bulletin of the Texas Ornithological Society. vol 37, no 2. p. 25-27.

• Breitwisch R. (1988). Sex Differences in Defense of Eggs and Nestlings by Northern Mockingbirds Mimus-Polyglottos. Animal Behaviour. vol 36, no 1. p. 62-72.

• Breitwisch R, Diaz M, Gottlieb N, Lee R & Zaias J. (1986). Defense of Fall Territories by Mated and Unmated and Northern Mockingbirds Mimus-Polyglottos in Southern Florida USA. Journal of Field Ornithology. vol 57, no 1. p. 16-21.

• Breitwisch R, Diaz M & Lee R. (1987). FORAGING EFFICIENCIES AND TECHNIQUES OF JUVENILE AND ADULT NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRDS (MIMUS-POLYGLOTTOS). Behaviour. vol 101, p. 225-235.

• Breitwisch R, Merritt PG & Whitesides GH. (1984). Why Do Northern Mockingbirds Mimus-Polyglottos Feed Fruit to Their Nestlings. Condor. vol 86, no 3. p. 281-287.

• Breitwisch R, Merritt PG & Whitesides GH. (1986). Parental Investment by the Northern Mockingbird Mimus-Polyglottos Male and Female Roles in Feeding Nestlings. Auk. vol 103, no 1. p. 152-159.

• Breitwisch R, Ritter RC & Zaias J. (1986). Parental Behavior of a Bigamous Male Northern Mockingbird Mimus-Polyglottos. Auk. vol 103, no 2. p. 424-427.

• Breitwisch R & Whitesides GH. (1987). DIRECTIONALITY OF SINGING AND NON-SINGING BEHAVIOR OF MATED AND UNMATED NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRDS, MIMUS-POLYGLOTTOS. Animal Behaviour. vol 35, p. 331-339.

• Brenowitz EA. (1982). Aggressive Response of Red-Winged Blackbirds Agelaius-Phoeniceus to Mockingbird Mimus-Polyglottos Song Imitation. Auk. vol 99, no 3. p. 584-586.

• Buden DW. (1988). Geographic Variation and Probable Sources of the Northern Mockingbird in the Bahama Islands Atlantic Ocean. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. vol 101, no 3. p. 475-486.

• Campbell RW & Anderson WJ. (1968). Mockingbird at Vancouver British-Columbia Canada Mimus-Polyglottos Recent Record. Canadian Field Naturalist. vol 82, no 3.

• Clark HO. (2001). Use of a car alarm sequence in the northern mockingbird repertoire. California Fish and Game. vol 87, no 3. p. 115-116.

• Cumming F. (1974). Nutrition and Niche of Mockingbirds Mimus-Polyglottos Mimidae. ASB Bulletin. vol 21, no 2.

• David N, Gosselin M & Seutin G. (1990). Pattern of Colonization by the Northern Mockingbird in Quebec Canada. Journal of Field Ornithology. vol 61, no 1. p. 1-8.

• Derrickson KC. (1987). BEHAVIORAL-CORRELATES OF SONG TYPES OF THE NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD (MIMUS-POLYGLOTTOS). Ethology. vol 74, no 1. p. 21-32.

• Derrickson KC. (1987). YEARLY AND SITUATIONAL CHANGES IN THE ESTIMATE OF REPERTOIRE SIZE IN NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRDS (MIMUS-POLYGLOTTOS). Auk. vol 104, no 2. p. 198-207.

• Dickson RD. (1991). Northern Mockingbird and Swamp Sparrow Overwinter in Calgary Alberta Canada. Blue Jay. vol 49, no 2. p. 70-71.

• Fairfield G & Fairfield J. (1997). Wing flashing behaviour in a Northern mockingbird. Ontario Birds. vol 15, no 3. p. 116-117.

• Farnsworth GL. (2004). Sub-optimal foraging by a wild Northern Mockingbird in novel situations. Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting Abstracts. vol 89, no 151.

• Farnsworth GL. (2005). Failure of a free-living northern mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) to discriminate food rewards on the basis of number. Ohio Journal of Science. vol 105, no 4. p. 97-99.

• Ficken RW & Ficken MS. (1982). Interspecific Plumage Similarity the Mockingbird Mimus-Polyglottos and Loggerhead Shrike Lanius-Ludovicianus. Wilson Bulletin. vol 94, no 2.

• Fischer DH. (1981). Factors Affecting the Reproductive Success of the Northern Mockingbird Mimus-Polyglottos in South Texas USA. Southwestern Naturalist. vol 26, no 3. p. 289-294.

• Fulk KR, Logan CA & Hyatt LE. (1987). POLYANDRY IN A FEMALE NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD. Wilson Bulletin. vol 99, no 2. p. 286-288.

• Hedrick LD & Woody AD. (1983). Northern Mockingbird Mimus-Polyglottos Kills Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla-Cedrorum. Wilson Bulletin. vol 95, no 1. p. 157-158.

• Hopkins MJ. (1968). Carrion Consumption by Birds Other Than Vultures Melanerpes-Erythrocephalus Mimus-Polyglottos Corvus-Brachyrhynchos Lanius-Ludovicianus. Oriole. vol 33, no 3.

• Horwich RH. (1969). Behavioral Ontogeny of the Mockingbird Mimus-Polyglottos Toxostoma-Curvirostre. Wilson Bulletin. vol 81, no 1. p. 87-93.

• Howard RD. (1974). INFLUENCE OF SEXUAL SELECTION AND INTERSPECIFIC COMPETITION ON MOCKINGBIRD SONG (MIMUS-POLYGLOTTOS). Evolution. vol 28, no 3. p. 428-438.

• Hughes CR & Deloach DM. (1997). Developing microsatellites when they are rare: Trinucleotide repeat loci in the northern mockingbird Mimus polyglottos. Molecular Ecology. vol 6, no 11. p. 1099-1102.

• Igl LD & Martin RE. (2002). Records of Northern Mockingbird, Mimus polyglottos, occurrences in North Dakota during the twentieth century. Canadian Field-Naturalist. vol 116, no 1. p. 87-97.

• Joern WT & Jackson JF. (1983). Homogeneity of Vegetational Cover around the Nest and Avoidance of Nest Predation in Mockingbirds Mimus-Polyglottos. Auk. vol 100, no 2. p. 497-499.

• Logan CA. (1983). REPRODUCTIVELY DEPENDENT SONG CYCLICITY IN MATED MALE MOCKINGBIRDS (MIMUS-POLYGLOTTOS). Auk. vol 100, no 2. p. 404-413.

• Logan CA. (1985). Mockingbird Mimus-Polyglottos Use of Chatbursts with Neighbors Vs. Strangers. Journal of Field Ornithology. vol 56, no 1. p. 69-71.

• Logan CA. (1987). FLUCTUATIONS IN FALL AND WINTER TERRITORY SIZE IN THE NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD (MIMUS-POLYGLOTTOS). Journal of Field Ornithology. vol 58, no 3. p. 297-305.

• Logan CA. (1988). BREEDING CONTEXT AND RESPONSE TO SONG PLAYBACK IN MOCKINGBIRDS (MIMUS-POLYGLOTTOS). Journal of Comparative Psychology. vol 102, no 2. p. 136-145.

• Logan CA. (1994). Fluctuations in intra-pair calling across breeding phases in northern mockingbirds (Mimus polyglottos). Behaviour. vol 130, no 1-2. p. 123-141.

• Logan CA. (2003). The function of "chat" calls in northern mockingbirds (Mimus polyglottos): Vocal defense of nestlings. In Ploger, Bonnie J [Editor, Reprint Author], Yasukawa, Ken [Editor] Exploring animal behavior in laboratory and field: An hypothesis-testing approach to the development, causation, function, and evolution of animal behavior:279-286, 2003. Academic Press Inc., 525 B Street, Suite 1900, San Diego, CA, 92101-4495

Academic Press Ltd., 84 Theobald's Road, London, WC1X 8RR, UK.

• Logan CA, Budman PD & Fulk KR. (1983). ROLE OF CHATBURST VERSUS SONG IN THE DEFENSE OF FALL TERRITORY IN MOCKINGBIRDS (MIMUS-POLYGLOTTOS). Journal of Comparative Psychology. vol 97, no 4. p. 292-301.

• Logan CA & Derrickson KC. (1996). Aggressive harassment by male northern mockingbirds (Mimus polyglottos) directed at their incubating mates. Bird Behavior. vol 11, no 2. p. 71-80.

• Logan CA & Donaghey BA. (1997). Fledgling age affects female reactions to mate song in free-living northern mockingbirds (Mimus polyglottos). Bird Behavior. vol 12, no 1-2. p. 1-6.

• Logan CA & Fulk KR. (1984). DIFFERENTIAL RESPONDING TO SPRING AND FALL SONG IN MOCKINGBIRDS (MIMUS-POLYGLOTTOS). Journal of Comparative Psychology. vol 98, no 1. p. 3-9.

• Logan CA & Hyatt LE. (1991). MATE ATTRACTION BY AUTUMNAL SONG IN THE NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD (MIMUS-POLYGLOTTOS). Auk. vol 108, no 2. p. 429-432.

• Logan CA, Hyatt LE & Gregorcyk L. (1990). SONG PLAYBACK INITIATES NEST BUILDING DURING CLUTCH OVERLAP IN MOCKINGBIRDS, MIMUS-POLYGLOTTOS. Animal Behaviour. vol 39, p. 943-953.

• Logan CA & Rulli M. (1981). Bigamy in a Male Mockingbird Mimus-Polyglottos. Auk. vol 98, no 2. p. 385-386.

• Logan CA & Wingfield JC. (1995). Hormonal correlates of breeding status, nest construction, and parental care in multiple-brooded northern mockingbirds, Mimus polyglottos. Hormones & Behavior. vol 29, no 1. p. 12-30.

• Mac-Kenzie J-A, Mac-Kenzie HN & Schouten MA. (1995). Northern Mockingbird, Mimus polyglottos, at Princeton: First successful breeding record in British Columbia. Canadian Field Naturalist. vol 109, no 2. p. 260.

• Means LL & Goertz JW. (1983). Nesting Activities of Northern Mockingbirds Mimus-Polyglottos in Northern Louisiana USA. Southwestern Naturalist. vol 28, no 1. p. 61-70.

• Merritt PG. (1980). Group Foraging by Mockingbirds Mimus-Polyglottos in a Florida USA Strangler Fig Ficus-Aurea. Auk. vol 97, no 4. p. 869-872.

• Merritt PG. (1984). Observer Recognition by the Northern Mockingbird Mimus-Polyglottos. Journal of Field Ornithology. vol 55, no 2. p. 252-253.

• Owen-Ashley NT, Schoech SJ & Mumme RL. (2002). Context-specific response of Florida Scrub-Jay pairs to Northern Mockingbird vocal mimicry. Condor. vol 104, no 4. p. 858-865.

• Peer BD, Ellison KS & Sealy SG. (2002). Intermediate frequencies of egg ejection by Northern Mockingbirds (Mimus polyglottos) sympatric with two Cowbird species. Auk. vol 119, no 3. p. 855-858.

• Roth RR. (1979). Foraging Behavior of Mockingbirds Mimus-Polyglottos the Effect of Too Much Grass. Auk. vol 96, no 2. p. 421-422.

• Sims CG & Holberton RL. (2000). Development of the corticosterone stress response in young Northern Mockingbirds (Mimus polyglottos). General and Comparative Endocrinology. vol 119, no 2. p. 193-201.

• Smith KG. (1986). BROWN THRASHERS RESPOND TO CALLS OF NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD NESTLINGS. Wilson Bulletin. vol 98, no 2. p. 313-314.

• Smith KG. (1986). Winter Population Dynamics of Blue Jays Cyanocitta-Cristata Red-Headed Woodpeckers Melanerpes-Erythrocephalus and Northern Mockingbirds Mimus-Polyglottos in the Ozarks USA. American Midland Naturalist. vol 115, no 1. p. 52-62.

• Smith RBH & Poon W. (2006). The changing status of the Northern Mockingbird in the Greater Toronto Area. Ontario Birds. vol 24, no 3. p. 106-159.

• Stewart PA. (1980). Mockingbird Mimus-Polyglottos Defense of a Winter Food Source. Journal of Field Ornithology. vol 51, no 4.

• Thompson NS, Abbey E, Wapner J, Logan C, Merritt PG & Pooth A. (2000). Variation in the bout structure of northern mockingbird (Mimus polyglottus) singing. Bird Behavior. vol 13, no 2. p. 93-98.

• Utter JM, Pearson LL, Carruth GC & Hurley BJ. (1983). Over Wintering of Northern Mockingbirds Mimus-Polyglottos and Subsequent Breeding Success. American Zoologist. vol 23, no 4. p. 898.

• Zaias J & Breitwisch R. (1989). INTRA-PAIR COOPERATION, FLEDGLING CARE, AND RENESTING BY NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRDS (MIMUS-POLYGLOTTOS). Ethology. vol 80, no 1-4. p. 94-110.