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Project Noah Nature School
Mimus polyglottos
"The Northern Mockingbird appearance is usually gray/dark gray backs and white underparts. The layers of the wings are black, white, and gray. Part of their scapulars and tertiaries is made of a white spot in the wing which is usually hidden. The bottom feathers of the tail are white, while the rest are a black/gray color. Northern mockingbirds normally have many black spots in the feathers of the breast area. The legs are black at the front, but a bit lighter at the back. The talons are black. The pupil of the eye is almost always black, but the sclera of the eye can range from a pitch black to a bright orange/red color. Mockingbirds measure from 20.5 to 28 cm (8.1 to 11 in) including a tail almost as long as its body. The wingspan can range from 31–38 cm (12–15 in) and body mass is from 40–58 g (1.4–2.0 oz). Males tend to be slightly larger than females." - Wikipedia
Backyard near citrus, Acacia and Rubber trees. This is the only Mockingbird found commonly in the US. "Mockingbirds have a strong preference for certain trees such as maple, sweetgum, and sycamore; they generally avoid pine trees after the other trees have grown their leaves. They have a particular preference for low lying branches. Mockingbirds are often found in urban and suburban areas, where they perch on telephone poles, streetlights, or high points on buildings." - Wikipedia
Spotted on Jul 2, 2012
Submitted on Jul 2, 2012
9 Comments
I haven't heard that behavior is done while foraging. I have a spotting of one doing just that! http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/693...
Thank you chimetsetan. They are quite entertaining to watch and listen to (at all hours!)
good to see it here finally. I have heard and read about it in books, but haven't really seen one. Maybe its distribution doesn't fall within India. Beautiful picture.
I just read that! I have never really seen any with those spots. W ehave so many out here!
Another interesting fact,"While foraging, they frequently spread their wings in a peculiar two-step motion to display the white patches. There lacks consensus among ornithologists over whether this behavior is purely a territorial display, or whether the flashing white patches startles insects into giving up their cover"
Most of the one's I see also don't have dark spots which is why I thought this was a juvenile. When I read the Wikipedia description, it threw me off "Northern mockingbirds normally have many black spots in the feathers of the breast area."
Cindy,we have quite a few mockingbirds here,but I do not remember seeing streaks on their chest. Maybe this is a juvenile.
I got that impression as well. I thought it was a juvenile when I first spotted it but I'm unsure looking at the image.
This mockingbird has such a sense of importance around him/her.
Thanks Emma! I also see them in a very large Toyon bush a lot. Right now, they're having daily arguments with some Scrub Jays and Crows. They cause quite the ruckus!
great info on habitat.Now know where to look for them.