Brief SummaryRead full entry Northern Mockingbirds sing a mix of
original and imitative phrases, each repeated several times.
They may imitate the songs of a wide variety of other birds'
songs and calls, sometimes in rapid succession, as well as other
sounds. They often sing at night as well as during the day. Both
sexes sing in fall as they claim feeding territories. The often
heard call is a loud, sharp check. The diet of the Northern
Mockingbird consists mostly of insects and berries. The annual
diet is around half insects and other arthropods and half
berries and other fruits, but the diet is heavy on insects in
late spring and summer and in fruits in fall and winter. Nesting
begins early in the year, by late winter in the southern United
States. The male sings to defend his territory and attract a
mate, often leaping a meter in the air and flapping his wings
while singing. Early courtship involves the male and female
chasing each other around the male's territory. The nest is
placed in a dense tree or sh