Read About Mocking Bird

Mocking Bird, the state bird of five American states, has been immortalized in the title of Harper Lee's famous book 'How to Kill a Mockingbird.' Here's everything you need to know about them.

Mocking Bird -- Facts

1. Breed:

   Mocking birds are biologically called Mimus polyglottus and they belong to the family starlings.

2. Size:

   Mocking birds are approximately 10 inches in length, including their long tail.

3. Life Span:

   The mocking bird has an average lifespan of 8 years.

4. Varieties:

   There are 17 different species of the mocking bird, which are classified according to their physical features like size and color and origin.

5. Origins:

   Several species of the mocking bird are native to the Bahamas, Texas, Chile, Galapagos Islands and tropical lands.

6. Physical Traits:

   Mocking birds have a light gray coat and a whitish underside. Their wings and tail are dark gray in color with white patches. They have a long tail. The male and female mocking birds look alike. Their beak is short.

7. Temperament:

   Mocking birds are very short tempered birds and quite possessive of their nests. They would not welcome interference with their nests and would even snap at human fingers.

8. Trainability:

   Mocking birds have a great ability to sing. Their songs are a mixture of original and imitated tunes heard from other birds and humans. You can train them to pick up almost any sound and imitate it.

Mocking Bird -- Care

1. Habitat:

   Mocking birds like to live in a variety of open to partly open areas, from scattered brush to forest edges and even deserts. They are found closely associated with human settlements in most places.

2. Food:

   Mocking birds' diet includes insects like, beetles, grasshoppers, ants and spiders. They love to eat winter berries and seeds. In some habitats, they will feast on crayfish, lizards and even small snakes.

3. Compatibility:

   Mocking birds are not at all compatible with other birds or pets. In fact, they are known to drive all other birds away from the feeders.

Mocking Bird -- Concerns

1. Benefits:

   The biggest benefit of a mocking bird is to listen to its highly creative notes.

2. Liabilities:

   The song of the mocking bird is actually a mating call. Males who are unable to find partners will sing in a rasping voice all through the night.

3. Health Issues:

   Mocking birds are very susceptible to lyme condition, commonly found in birds.

4. Specific Care Needs:

   Mocking birds are very possessive and touchy. Be sure not to interfere with their nests in any way and provide them an adequate diet in the feeder.

5. Special Household Needs:

   Mocking birds are prohibited by law to be taken inside the house and held in any sort of captivity.

Mocking Bird -- How to Choose

1. What to Look for:

   Mocking birds are very furtive birds. Note their chirpy song, which is an indication of their good health.

2. Supplies:

   To attract mocking birds to your feeder, you will need to have a vast variety of foods that would include fruits, several kinds of nuts and some worms and meat. If you have bushes of elderberries, mulberries, raspberries, holly berries, etc., then mocking birds will come again and again.

3. Expense:

   Mocking birds are not allowed to be hunted, caged or sold by state laws.