Northern Mockingbird
What do they look like?
The Northern Mockingbird is about 10" long (about the size of a robin) but is
slimmer and has longer tail feathers. It is a dull gray with lighter gray under
parts. The wings are darker gray with two bright white wing patches, which are
very visible in flight.
Where are they found?
They are distributed throughout North America and found across the State of
Maryland. They like living in various landscapes and gardens near houses in
urban areas. They also like farmlands, edges of open woods and streamside
thickets in the rural areas. They lay 2 to 6 eggs from March through August and
are very aggressive towards anything that gets too close to their nesting
territory.
What do they eat?
During the fall and winter mockingbirds prefer to eat wild fruits consisting
of holly, pokeberry, blackberry, sumac and Virginia creeper and defend these
areas aggressively. They eat insects all year long but especially during the
breeding season.
What other kinds of mockingbirds live in Maryland?
The Northern Mockingbird is the only mockingbird that lives in Maryland
although the Loggerhead Shrike is often mistaken for it.
I didn't know that!
The mockingbird is well known for mimicking many sounds. They can sing up to
about 200 songs and can make sounds like insects and amphibians. They can also
imitate sounds like a barking dog, farm animals and a squeaky hinge. Sometimes
they sing all night.
Photo of Mocking Bird, Courtesy of Universal Pops flickr