Northern Mockingbird

The Northern Mockingbird was one of the first species (along with titmice and cardinals) to capture the public’s attention as a southern species moving north into New Hampshire. Mockingbirds began moving up the east coast in the late 1800s, including scattered records in New England through the early decades of the 20th century, but they really didn’t become established until the 1950s. Until this time, they were believed to be limited by cold winters and perhaps limited habitat. But starting around 1960 things started to change more quickly, and mockingbirds became more reliable in extreme southeastern New Hampshire. From these tentative beginnings the species’ population in the state surged through the 1980s and the mockingbird was understood to be firmly established.

But then, after peaking around 1990, New Hampshire’s population fell just as quickly as it rose and now seems stable at low levels. Mockingbirds aren’t rare by any measure, and still occupy the same areas they did in the 1980s, but there are only a quarter as many as there used to be. Why mockingbird numbers dropped in parts of the Northeast is unknown, especially since the species is well-adapted to human environments. It’s likely that some combination of increased development, forest succession, and changing agricultural practices have eliminated some of the shrubby thickets that mockingbirds prefer.

No discussion of the Northern Mockingbird would be complete without mentioning its singing prowess. It’s scientific name literally means “many tongued mimic,” and this appellation is well deserved. In addition to mimicking the songs of other birds, they will copy sounds as diverse as barking dogs, car alarms, doorbells, and ringing cell phones, often flawlessly. A mockingbird in good form may cycle through a dozen or so copied bird songs over a few minutes, all interspersed with its own whistles and squeaks. They continue to add new elements to their repertoires as they age, and it’s believed that males with higher song diversity are more likely to attract mates. Mockingbirds also sing at night, both birds that do this are largely unmated males.