Mockingbird Northern behavior

The Mockingbird is aptly named because it is so adept at imitating sounds! These birds have a wide range of songs, and can imitate many other noises, such as the barking of a dog, a piano, or an emergency siren!

Northern Mockingbirds, also called "Mockers", are quite territorial, and may swoop down threateningly on animals including cats, dogs, or other birds that enter the range they are defending! Although they may generally be too small to do much harm to these animals, they certainly appear more threatening than they actually are! Normally, an individual Northern Mockingbird has between 25 and 30 separate songs that it will sing on a fairly regular basis. Many people value these birds for the sweetness of their songs. The songs are actually "mockeries", and are composed of a melange of other birds' songs in addition to their own! Northern Mockingbirds are useful to have in your garden, and not only for the value of their voices.