Northern Mockingbird

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(Mimus polyglottos)

Info coming soon...


Both sexes look similar although males may be slightly larger than females.

Length: 8.3 to 10.2 inches

Weight: 1.6 to 2 oz

Wingspan: 12.2 to 13.8 inches

Lifespan: The oldest wild Northern Mockingbird was at least 14 years, 10 months old and found in Texas. Captive birds can live up to 20 years.

Diet consists of mainly insects during the summer. They eat mostly fruit in fall and winter. Occasionally birds have been observed drinking sap from the cuts on recently pruned trees.
Possibly a year-round resident. Migration is poorly understood at this point. It has been noted that a few birds move south in fall for short distances. Some northern-most birds remain in the same location through winter.

Nest is built 3-10 feet up (sometimes high as 60 feet) located in shrubs and trees. Birds rarely reuse nests from year to year.

The nest site is likely chosen by the male who and begins constructing the twig foundation for several nests. The female chooses one of these to finish and adds the lining of grasses, rootlets, leaves, and trash. Finished shape is an open cup.

Clutch size: 2 to 6 pale blue or greenish white eggs with red or brown spots. 2 to 3 broods per year.

Incubation: 12 to 13 days. At hatching chicks have eyes are closed and are naked with light gray down.

Fledging: 12 to 13 days. Females may start laying in a second nest while the male is still caring for the fledglings. Offspring reach sexual maturity at 1 year.


References

  1. "Northern Mockingbird, Life History". All about birds, The Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Retrieved October, 2016.
  2. "Northern Mockingbird". Audubon Guide to North American Birds. Retrieved October, 2016.
  3. "Northern MockingBird". Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved October, 2016.
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