Mocking birds are known for keeping us all awake with their middle of the night song, but there’s a lot more to the bird than chirping. Here are some fun things to know about mocking birds.
What do mocking birds look like?
There is no physical distinction between the male and female mocking bird -- both are about eight inches from head to tail and share the same feather colors. The mocking bird has a thin build and is covered with grey feathers and a pale grey belly and breast. It has long wings, but a short tail. Two distinctive features of the mocking bird are its dark black legs and yellow eyes.
Where do mocking birds live?
Unlike many birds, the mocking bird does not migrate. A pretty easy-going animal, the mocking bird will live anywhere from the desert to the city. Lucky for us, most people living in the United States won’t have to travel beyond their back yard to spot a mocking bird. There are several species of mocking birds and they can be found living in most areas of the United States, Cuba, Mexico, the Antilles, the Galapagos and the Bahamas.
Mocking birds like to have large grassy areas to eat, but also want the comfort and disguise that comes with thick, thorny shrubs. Mocking birds make pretty good neighbors, because even though you may not realize it, the mocking bird has probably saved you quite a few scares. The mocking bird often dines on large spiders and other big insects such as beetles, ants, bees, grasshoppers, butterflies and wasps. Mocking birds even enjoy the taste of some small lizards. When omnivorous food isn’t available, the birds will also feast on berries.
The mocking bird makes its nests closer to the ground then most birds. After each mating season a female mocking bird will lay four to six eggs. The eggs are bluish green in color and usually have brown speckles. Also having some type of water source, like a bird bath, can help attract these singing birds.
What does a mocking bird sound like?
The state bird of Texas, Tennessee, Mississippi and Florida, mocking birds are famous for their vocal imitations. Not only does the mocking bird make up its own songs, it is also known to be somewhat of a copy cat. The mocking bird is known to not only mimic other species of birds, but also everyday noises such as door bells, barking dogs, squeaky gats, sirens and people whistling. The mocking bird will repeat the imitation several times before moving on to a new song.
