Mockingbirds are a group of New World passerine birds from the family Mimidae. They are best known for the habit of some species mimicking the songs of other birds and the sounds of insects and amphibians, often loudly and in rapid succession. (source wikipedia)
A Northern mockingbird is a medium-sized bird that is gray in color with black and white wing feathers. Its underside is white, the bill is black, and its iris is yellowish-orange.
Males generally establish a nesting territory as early as February onward.
The nest will look like this one here. The eggs will be a greenish blue color with brown spots. They will remind you of mint chocolate chips.
Baby mockingbirds have three stages of development: hatchling (eyes closed, fuzzy) nestling (eyes open, fuzzy, feathers beginning to grow), fledgling (feathered, exploring outside the nest).
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Stage 1: Hatchling
This is the first day of life for a little Mockingbird.
Mockingbirds are also called "the bird of many languages". According to the Greek word polyglottos which means multiple languages. This is how they are able to mimic other species.
This is the second day of life for a little mockingbird.
A typical mockingbird measures between 8-11 inches long and weighs 1.4-2 ounces. Males are a bit bigger than females, but other than that they look the same.
After about 10 days, the chicks are independent.
This is the 5th day of life. I missed the 6th day due to the parents dive bombing my head.
Day 7 of life.
Stage 2 Nestling
Nestling (eyes open, fuzzy, feathers beginning to grow).
Day 8 of life.
Day 9 of life.
They think I'm mama and going to feed them.
These guys are fixing to be leaving the nest.
Day 11 for a baby mockingbird.
Short video. Watch till the end you can hear the parent showing up.
Stage 3 Fledgling
Fledgling (feathered, exploring outside the nest).
Day 12 in the nest. They have their feathers. So cute. I think this might be the last picture with them in the nest.
After one year, they reach sexual maturity. The lifespan of a mockingbird in the wild is 8 years.
Habitat:
Mockingbirds are located all throughout the United States and Mexico and parts of Canada. They reside in fields, forest edges, and backyards. They sit high in trees, on fence posts, and on utility lines and sing loudly. They also hop along on the ground looking for food.
What do mockingbirds eat:
Mockingbirds are omnivorous. In the summer, their diet consists mainly of insects. During the fall and the winter, they eat more fruit and berries than insects.
10 mockingbird facts:
Mockingbirds can live up to 20 years in captivity.
Female mockingbirds do not sing as much as the males do, and they are much quieter as well.
A male mockingbird can learn up to 200 different songs.
A mockingbird sings all throughout the day and into the night.
Mockingbirds usually hang out alone or in pairs.
Mockingbirds are monogamous, which means the pair will stay with each other for life.
A pair of mockingbirds will have 2-3 broods per year.
The mockingbird is the state bird of Texas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Florida, and Arkansas.
President Thomas Jefferson had a pet mockingbird named “Dick.”
This bird is very territorial and will not hesitate to attack intruders.
This is the one that likes to scare me away from his babies. Protective parent.
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