Name: Northern Mockingbird

Description: The Northern Mockingbird gets its name from its ability to mimic the songs of other birds; in fact, they can imitate anything from insects to car alarms! Northern Mockingbirds do not migrate and virtually survive on bird feeders during the winter months. During the other seasons, Northern Mockingbirds are known for eating a wide variety of insects. They can be found from southern Canada to southern Mexico and the Caribbean.

Other Names: Mocking Thrush

Color: Northern Mockingbirds are a grayish-brown color with two parallel white wing bars and a broad white wing patch, which are easily seen in-flight. Their coloring distinguishes the Northern Mockingbird from its cousins, the Brown Thrasher and the Catbird.

Sound: The Northern Mockingbird is known for its long, complex songs that include imitations of many other birds. Its call is a harsh, dry “chew.”

Preferred Environment: Northern Mockingbirds inhabit shrubby, dense thickets where they can find food and cover for their nests. They can be found in areas with open ground and shrubby vegetation, such as in parks, cultivated land and the suburbs.

Nesting Habits: The Northern Mockingbird’s nest is an open cup of dead twigs lined with grasses, rootlets and dead leaves, placed low in shrubs and trees, usually 3-10 feet high.

Food Preference: Mockingbirds do not like seeds, but prefer suet, peanut kernels and peanut butter. They also love all kinds of fruits and berries.