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To Kill A Mockingbird Research Paper

Decent Essays

Mockingbirds

Bullies and Songsters

What bird is that singing so sweetly, so loudly, and for SO long in the middle of the night? If you're in North America, most likely it is the Northern Mockingbird, (Mimus polyglottos). This bird, whose Latin name means "many-tongued mimic," may sing the songs of up to two hundred other birds but it also may be the bully of your backyard, chasing all the other birds away.
The Northern Mockingbird is a long-tailed and somewhat short-winged bird, will a dark strong but short beak. It is light gray with black wings that have two distinctive white wing bars that appear to flash when flying. The long tail is black with white edges. It is about 10 inches in length with a wingspan of 13-15 inches. This bird is …show more content…

If you have a nearby mockingbird, try whistling a tune each time you see it. You might teach it a new song. Many a birder has heard an elusive bird only to discover that he was tricked by a mockingbird. If you hear a song repeated 3-5 times, then a different song repeated, you might be listening to a Northern Mockingbird.
Every evening as the sun begins to set, there is a Northern Mockingbird in our yard that flies to the peak of the roof, pouring out sweet songs. He'll move to the fence after a bit, singing new songs, then flit over to the telephone line and continue to sing until the sun goes down as if he's tell the world that all is well. He'll keep a vigilant eye on his nest during the night, ever ready to defend the young birds.

The most numerous songs are sung by males without a mate. Unfortunately, the middle of the night is the time these bachelor birds loudly sing their repertoire, attempting to find an unattached female. My husband has remarked that he is unsure if the females are attracted by the songs or whether they decide to be the male mockingbird's mate so they can get some …show more content…

The nests are built of short sticks, leaves, discarded bits of string and other found materials, and lined with softer materials. The female lays 2-6 eggs and incubates them while the male fiercely defends the territory from predators, anything from another bird, snake, dog, or even a person too close to their nest. The eggs hatch in 12-13 days, and the young birds grow quickly with both parents feeding the hungry brood. 11-13 short days pass and then the the young mockingbirds are ready leave the nest, try their wings, and live on their

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