“If that mockingbird don’t sing, Mama’s gonna buy you a diamond ring.”
Although this famous verse from the popular lullaby “Hush Little Baby” begs to differ, mockingbirds rarely keep quiet.
Mockingbirds mimic and repeat songs of other birds. Mockingbirds are related to catbirds and brown thrashers, which also mimic songs and sounds.
The northern mockingbird is a slender, robin-sized songbird. It is primarily gray, with large white wing-patches and white outer tail feathers. These white patches flash conspicuously during flight and territorial and courtship display. The white patches also help identify the bird.
Another way to identify the northern mockingbird is by its song. Mockingbirds have many combinations of original and imitative phrases. Each is typically repeated three or more times in a row. And mockingbirds sometimes sing during the night. Brown thrashers usually repeat a phrase two, and sometimes three times, and catbirds sing each phrase only once.
The changes in the landscape over the past century have promoted the mockingbirds’ success. Mockingbirds like open areas with dense hedgerows and thickets, woodland edges, and towns and suburbs. Mockingbirds commonly occur in backyards. With their innovative calls and bold behavior, they’re fun to be around.
Build Your Own Birdfeeder
Discover nature in your own backyard! Build a bird feeder and play host to Missouri’s birds (and, quite possibly, a mockingbird!) this year.
Construction:
- Plexiglas sides show the level of the feed. However, Masonite can be used instead.
- Either material can be attached with screws or nails directly to the edges of the ends, or you can saw a kerf 1/4 inch from the front edge of the ends, and slide Plexiglas, Masonite or glass panels into this groove. A removable panel of this type permits easier cleaning.
- The 6 1/2-inch-wide Plexiglas should be installed so that its top edge meets the roof, thus providing the critical 1-inch clearance at the bottom for proper seed flow.
Installation:
- The feeder can be mounted on a post as diagrammed or hung using wire from a coat hanger.
- Place it in a site where you can enjoy watching your customers from the comfort of your home. Preferably, the feeder should be near bushes or trees to provide the birds with avenues of approach and retreat.
- You can attempt to discourage competing squirrels by installing the feeder on a 6-foot-high post or pipe, at least 20 feet away from points from which they can jump. Then fasten an inverted cone of sheet metal at least 18 inches in diameter around the post just beneath the feeder.
Maintenance:
- Flour will accumulate on the floor of the feeder and, when combined with moisture, forms a hard paste. This must be scraped off so that the seed feeds through properly and the drain holes remain functional.
Helpful tidbits:
- If you wish to restrict your feeding to only the winter season, you should begin in late fall or with the first snowfall. Once started, the birds will become dependent on you, and you should continue feeding through the winter until gradually tapering off and discontinuing by March or April.
- Sunflower seeds (especially the small oil-type) flow well in this feeder, and they are attractive to an array of bird species-cardinals, chickadees, titmice, blue jays and finches. Wild bird seed mix, finely cracked corn or chicken scratch can also be used.
- Mockingbirds and bluebirds will sometimes accept cut-up fruit or berries.
Discover how you can build other types of bird feeders with MDC’s help.
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