Northern Mockingbird

A Houston NativeBrenda Carmona

Northern Mockingbird

Scientific Name: Mimus Polyglottos

Grey with Black and White feathersWhite and grey underparts

Measures 8-11 inchesWeighs 1.4-2 ounces

Live in the wild for about 8 years

Not domesticated for human use

Food Web

Habitat Found in Suburban Areas with open ground and shrubbery vegetation (hedges, bushes)

Require trees or higher ground where they can defend their territories

Forages on the ground in grassy areas for insects and berries

Aggressively defends nesting and feeding territories

Found in every kind of habitat: from Desert to Forests to Cities

Evolution• Prey to Hawks, Owls, Crows, and Snakes

• As predators approach the nest, adults give alarm calls• Adults often mob predators, sometimes striking them with their bills

which are long and slightly curved.

Fun Facts

Lays 2-6 eggs per nest

The Northern Mockingbird knows at least 39 songs and 50

notesCan also mimic sounds such as dog barks and

songs of other birds

Official State Bird

Galápagos mockingbirds (upper right) first gave Darwin the idea that island species might vary

BibliographyDNA Reveals How Darwin's Finches Evolved. (n.d.). Retrieved April 24, 2016, from http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2015/02/150211-evolution-darwin-finches-beaks-genome-science/

Mimus polyglottos (northern mockingbird). (n.d.). Retrieved April 24, 2016, from http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Mimus_polyglottos/

Northern Mockingbird. (n.d.). Retrieved April 23, 2016, from https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/northern_mockingbird/lifehistory#at_habitat Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos). (n.d.). Retrieved April 23, 2016, from http://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/species/mockbird/

Northern Mockingbird Facts, Photos, and Information. (n.d.). Retrieved April 22, 2016, from https://americanexpedition.us/northern-mockingbird-facts-photos-and-information

Northern Mockingbirds, Northern Mockingbird Pictures, Northern Mockingbird Facts - National Geographic. (n.d.). Retrieved April 22, 2016, from http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birding/northern-mockingbird/