Family:
The northern mockingbird is a medium-sized slender songbird with a small head, long tail, and short broad wings. It has dark grey upperparts and pale grey underparts with two conspicuous white wing bars, and a white patch that is visible in flight. The long, thin bill has a slight downward curve. Males and females look the same.
Northern mockingbirds are known for their mimicry of other birds and animals as well as man-made sounds such as car alarms and phones. It spends its time perched in trees or on posts and sing all day and into the night. It is highly territorial and will chase away perceived threats aggressively diving and swopping and flashing its white wing patches.
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Northern mockingbirds are omnivorous. They have a varied diet and will eat spiders, worms, berries, fruit, seeds, and occasionally lizards. They tend to eat animal prey during breeding season and switch to a plant-based diet in the winter.
Northern mockingbirds are found across North America from Canada to Mexico. Most are sedentary although birds to the north of the range will fly south for winter. They are found in a diverse range of habitats, preferring open areas with sparse vegetation, such as open scrub, farmland, and the edges of forests, and are regular visitors to parks and gardens.
