Northern Mockingbird

Jill StaakeUpdated: Apr. 24, 2020

This around-the-clock songster doesn’t just copy the sounds other birds make. Northern Mockingbirds mimic other things, too - even inanimate objects, like machinery.

Photos

Roland Jordahl
Northern Mockingbird
Barbara McGiffin
Northern Mockingbird

Information

Northern MockingbirdBarbara McGiffin
Barbara McGiffin Northern Mockingbird

Scientific Name: Mimus polyglottos.
Family: Mimic thrush.
Length: 10-1/2 inches.
Wingspan: 14 inches.
Distinctive Markings: Gray with grayish-white underside, white patches  in wings and tail.
Nest: Pair builds a cup-shaped nest in the fork of a shrub; female lays three to six blue or green eggs with brown splotches.
Voice: Almost unlimited variations. Repeats songs several times with a pause before a new series.
Habitat: Backyards, pastures, orchards, farm hedges and woodland edges.
Diet: Insects, fruit and berries.
Backyard Favorites: Berry-producing plants, apple slices, peanut butter, suet, mealworms and raisins.

Bird Song & Range Map

Listen to the Northern Mockingbird’s song and learn where to spot them!

Bird songs provided by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Northern Mockingbird Bird SpeciesRange maps provided by Kaufman Field Guides, the official field guide of Birds & Blooms.

Originally Published: September 28, 2013

Jill Staake
Jill Staake
Jill lives in Tampa, Florida, and writes about gardening, butterflies, outdoor projects and birding. When she's not gardening, you'll find her reading, traveling and happily digging her toes into the sand on the beach.