Bird fo the Week December 14: Northern Mockingbird

The Northern Mockingbird is the state bird of Florida. This songbird is common through most of the United States. They are extremely versatile and can be found nesting in suburban areas as well as a wide range of other open to partly open habitats in natural areas. They forage on a variety of things including: spiders, insects, crayfish, snails, and even lizards and small snakes on occasion. They also eat berries and fruits and will often protect a source of these from other birds like American Robins. These monogamous birds build nests low down in dense brush or trees using twigs. The nests are pretty bulky and lined with finer materials. Both sexes build the nest. The female typically lays 3-4 eggs per clutch.Once incubation is done (12-13 days) the young will be fed for 10-12 days before they leave the nest. Northern Mockingbirds are very territorial and spend alot of time singing. The songs they sing can be original or mimics of other birds as well as other animals, insects, machinery, etc. The series of songs and imitative sounds are usually repeated 3-5 (or more) times.