Northern Mockingbird

Mimus polyglottos

Explore this bird

Identification

Field notes

23-28 cm (9-11") Common in southern United States; expanding range north into Canada. State bird for Arkansas, Florida, Mississipps, Tennessee and Texas. Residential areas, open country with thickets.

Gray above, white below. White wing patches and long white-edged tail flash in flight.

Aggressively defends territory.

Song: loud musical and grating phrases repeated three or more times. Mimics city sounds, other birds, dogs, etc. Often sings at night.

Details in the field

Photo gallery

1 photo

Credit: Kelly Colgan Azar

Watch and learn

Videos

1 video

Northern mockingbird sings on Christmas Day 2012

Credit: Bob Kovacs

Where it lives

Distribution maps

Source legend · original intervals

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Unshaded in source · does not imply absence

Generic and winter maps may use different intervals.

Bird Advisor Identification rules 1 variant 4 rules

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

Northern Mockingbird

4 rules

Rule 1 15 criteria confidence 3

What color was the UNDERSURFACE of the wing as seen in flight ?: Light · Unknown
Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?: Yes · Unknown
What SIZE was the TAIL ?: Medium · Long · Very Long · Unknown
What SHAPE was the TAIL ?: Square or slightly notched at the end · Rounded at the end · Pointed or wedge-shaped · Unknown
What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ?: Light outer edge or corners · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Downcurved · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?: Light area between the bill and the eye · Light area running up the side of the neck or head · Sideburn stripe running down beneath the eye · Dark area behind, under, through or around the eye · Crest of feathers on top of the head · Ear "tufts" or horns · NONE of the above or a PLAIN unmarked FACE · Unknown
What colour were the EYES ?: White or light gray · Yellow or olive · Brown or blackish brown · Black or dark gray · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Robin-sized · Pigeon-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northeastern Canada or United States · Northwestern Canada or United States

result:734-northern-mockingbird:1:1 Source: 734 Northern Mockingbird, row 1

Rule 2 15 criteria confidence 7

What color was the UNDERSURFACE of the wing as seen in flight ?: Light · Unknown
Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?: Yes · Unknown
What SIZE was the TAIL ?: Medium · Long · Very Long · Unknown
What SHAPE was the TAIL ?: Square or slightly notched at the end · Rounded at the end · Pointed or wedge-shaped · Unknown
What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ?: Light outer edge or corners · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Downcurved · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?: Light area between the bill and the eye · Light area running up the side of the neck or head · Sideburn stripe running down beneath the eye · Dark area behind, under, through or around the eye · Crest of feathers on top of the head · Ear "tufts" or horns · NONE of the above or a PLAIN unmarked FACE · Unknown
What colour were the EYES ?: White or light gray · Yellow or olive · Brown or blackish brown · Black or dark gray · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Robin-sized · Pigeon-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southeastern United States · Southwestern United States

result:734-northern-mockingbird:2:1 Source: 734 Northern Mockingbird, row 2

Rule 3 6 criteria confidence 1

Was the bird seen best or only on the ground ?: Yes
How BIG was the bird ?: Robin-sized
List any unique feeding behaviour observed ?: Running and stopping
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Identify from a Unique Behaviour
What type of environment was the bird seen in?: Urban or residential area or at a feeder · Open area: field, prairie, meadow, farmland, tundra · Thickets or shrubs · Deciduous forest · Coniferous forest · Mixed forest · Wooded freshwater habitat · Freshwater marsh or wetland
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northeastern Canada or United States · Northwestern Canada or United States

result:734-northern-mockingbird:3:1 Source: 734 Northern Mockingbird, row 3

Rule 4 6 criteria confidence 5

Was the bird seen best or only on the ground ?: Yes
How BIG was the bird ?: Robin-sized
List any unique feeding behaviour observed ?: Running and stopping
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Identify from a Unique Behaviour
What type of environment was the bird seen in?: Urban or residential area or at a feeder · Open area: field, prairie, meadow, farmland, tundra · Thickets or shrubs · Deciduous forest · Coniferous forest · Mixed forest · Wooded freshwater habitat · Freshwater marsh or wetland
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southeastern United States · Southwestern United States

result:734-northern-mockingbird:4:1 Source: 734 Northern Mockingbird, row 4