Species · GBIF taxon 5231677
Northern Mockingbird
Mimus polyglottosAlso known as Mocker, American Mockingbird
Northern Mockingbirds are tireless vocalists famous for their ability to mimic dozens of other bird species, car alarms, and barking dogs in rapid succession. These slender, gray songbirds aggressively defend their territories year-round, flashing brilliant white wing patches in flight to startle insects or warn intruders. They thrive in human-altered landscapes, often singing late into moonlit nights from high, conspicuous perches.
VocalistTerritorialUrban-Adapted
Licensed referenceRhododendrites / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Beetles
- Grasshoppers
- Wild Berries
Predators
- Domestic Cats
- Cooper's Hawks
- Rat Snakes
ThreatsOutdoor domestic cats, pesticide reduction of insect prey, and window collisions
HabitatsSuburban lawns, parks, forest edges, and second-growth scrub
Life spanUp to 8 to 10 years in the wild
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyMimidae
- SpeciesMimus polyglottos
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Aggressively defends nests by dive-bombing intruders; maintain distance during the spring breeding season.
- Why it is dangerous
- Nesting adults will fiercely dive-bomb humans, dogs, and cats that approach their territory, occasionally making physical contact with claws or beaks.
- How to recognize a risky encounter
- Look for a slender gray bird with long tail feathers and bold white wing bars, especially when it is vocalizing loudly from a low branch.
- What to do
- Give active nests a wide berth of at least five meters, and carry an umbrella if you must walk near a defensive pair.
Responsible observation
- Listen closely: Try to identify the different bird calls woven into a single continuous song.
- Watch the wing-flash: Observe them on lawns as they open and shut their wings to flush out hidden insects.
- Provide native shrubs: Plant native fruiting bushes to provide essential winter food for resident birds.
Predator "Cooper's Hawk - immature" by Kaaren Perry is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/. · cc-by
Close Relative (c) kirk gardner, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by kirk gardner · cc-by
Close Relative 
Close Relative (c) Laura Gooch, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
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