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The Northern Mockingbird,
Mimus polyglottos, is the mockingbird commonly found in North
America. Adults are grey on the head and upperparts with pale
yellow eyes and a slim black bill with a slight downward curve;
the underparts are light. They have a long dark tail with white
edges and long dark legs. They have white wing bars and show white
wing patches in flight. Their breeding habitat is areas with a
mix of open areas and dense shrubs from southern Canada to Mexico,
but is most common in the southern United States. They build a
twig nest in a dense shrub or tree. This bird aggressively defends
its nest against other birds and animals. When a predator is persistent
mockingbirds from neighboring teritories, summoned by a distict
call, may join the attack. Other birds may gather to watch as
the mockingbirds harass the intruder.
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They are generally
permanent residents; northern birds may move south during harsh
weather. However, this species has occurred in Europe as an extreme
rarity. These birds forage on the ground or in vegetation; they
also fly down from a perch to capture food. They mainly eat insects
and berries. While foraging they will frequently spread their
wings in a peculiar two-step motion then fold them again. This
bird imitates the songs of other birds, animal sounds and even
machine noises. It is often found in urban areas. They often sing
through the night and may sing year-round except for the summer
moulting season. While singing they will often bolt several feet
into the air and land back on their perch without breaking a note.
Above Pictures From The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
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