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Northern Mockingbird

(Mimus polyglottos)
Banded October 5, 2002 in Carmel, Indiana

General Information

The Northern Mockingbird, family Mimidae, is one of 31 species of catbirds, thrashers, and mockingbirds that occur in the western hemisphere. Eleven species in this group, including the Bahama Mockingbird, occur in North America.

The Northern Mockingbird, or "many tongued mimic," is known for its distinctive gray plumage, large white wing patches and its seemingly tireless repertoire of songs. A singe bird can mimic 32 species of birds in 10 minutes, and more than 55 different bird calls in an hour, so precisely that they cannot be distinguished from the original songs even with the use of sophisticated electronic analysis. This popular songster was discovered about 250 years ago by Mark Catesby, considered by some to be the founder of American Ornithology. It is the state bird
of several southern states.

The Northern Mockingbird is a gray and white robin sized bird with a wingspan of 13 to 15 inches. Weights range from 1.5 to 2 ounces (45 to 60 grams).

Figure 1 - Northern Mockingbird

Figure 2 - Northern Mockingbird

The white wing patches and white outer tail feathers are a distinctive field mark. The Mockingbird can be confused with the shrikes, but shrikes have a distinctive black facial mask. See our photos of the Loggerhead Shrike.

Mockingbirds will also imitate tree frogs, crickets, a barking dog, and man made sounds such as notes of a piano, squeaky wheels and other sounds. They also will sing at night, especially in the fall when the moon is full and a mated pair is setting up a winter feeding territory.

Figure 3 - Northern Mockingbird

Figure 4 - Northern Mockingbird

This is another view of the wing pattern of the Mockingbird.

This close-up shows the white covert wing feathers that make up the white wing patch.

Figure 5 - Northern Mockingbird wing patch

Figure 6 - Northern Mockingbird

The white wing patch also is visible on the underside of the wing. Mockingbirds frequently engage in a display behavior called "wing flashing" by rapidly extending the wings and holding them out, folding them, then repeating the behavior.

Nesting Behavior

Mockingbirds breed in open woodland and bushes, shade trees, shrubbery, and ornamental plantings around buildings. A nest of dead twigs, grasses and weeds, string, rags and other materials is built by both sexes. From 3 to 5 pale blue eggs, incubated by the female, hatch in 11 to 14 days. Young, tended by both parents, leave the nest in another 12 to 14 days. Two to three broods may be raised in a season.

Banding Recoveries

According to the web page of the Bird Banding Lab, a total of 57,418 Northern Mockingbirds were banded between 1955 and 2000. Of these, 1,454 have been encountered outside the area where they were banded. Banding studies show that these birds are usually year round residents and live more than 9 years in the wild.

If you should recover a banded bird, you can report the band number to the Bird Banding Lab by calling 1-800-327-BAND.

Economic Importance and Conservation Status

Mockingbirds occur across most of eastern North America and the southwest. Their northern range is expanding. Vegetation and temperature are the main factors that influence distribution and abundance patterns. The northern boundary of their winter range is roughly defined by the isotherm line that delineates the 20 degree Fahrenheit average minimum winter temperature. Population densities are highest in Texas, and highest winter population densities occur in areas where the average minimum January temperature is at least 30 degrees Fahrenheit.

Mockingbirds consume a large number of grasshoppers beetles, weevils, ants, caterpillars, spiders, crayfish, sow bugs, snails, lizards, wild fruit of holly, blackberry, mulberry, poison ivy, and others. They will visit feeding stations for suet and raisins.

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