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. |
