Northern Mockingbird




Northern Mockingbird


Northern Mockingbird
(Mimus polyglottos)

Order:  Passeriformes
Family:  Mimidae









Photo credit: Ryan Hagerty/USFWS

Northern Mockingbird Information

Length:  9 - 11"

Habitat:  Residential areas, farmland, roadsides, city parks, gardens, open grassy areas with thickets.

Requires a tree or other high perch from which to sing and defend its territory.

Diet:  Spiders and insects; wild fruit and berries.

  Songs and calls of the Northern Mockingbird


Additional Information

Northern Mockingbird
Description, distribution, habitat, behavior, diet, reproduction, predators, and conservation status. Includes photos, range map, and songs and calls. (From Wikipedia)


Northern Mockingbird

Northern Mockingbird

© Steve Byland | Dreamstime

Northern Mockingbird
Identification Tips

  • Slender bill
  • Gray head and upperparts
  • Yellow eye
  • White underparts
  • Long black tail with white outer tail feathers
  • White wing bars
  • White patch in wing, especially visible in flight
  • Black legs
  • Sexes similar
  • Juvenile has spotted breast
  • Most often found in scrubby habitats and in urban areas

(Credit: U. S. Geological Survey)

Note: The coloring of the Northern Mockingbird's upperparts varies from black to gray-brown.


Breeding Bird Survey Map,
2011-2015

Northern Mockingbird Breeding Map

(Image credit: USGS)


Range in New England
Northern Mockingbirds breed throughout New England, with the exception of northern Maine. They are found year-round in the rest of New England, tending to be more abundant in the southern part of the region.


Year-round Map from eBird

Year-round sightings of the Northern Mockingbird over last 10 years


Christmas Bird Count Map
Historical CBC Map from USGS