Northern mockingbird, the state bird of Tennessee

How to recognize it

The northern mockingbird is a slim, long-tailed songbird about 8 to 10 inches long, about the size of a robin. Males and females look alike: pale gray above, whitish below, with darker wings. Bold white wing patches and white outer tail feathers flash in flight or when the bird half-opens its wings on the ground, and young birds have streaked breasts.

The song is the giveaway: a long medley of musical and harsh phrases, each usually repeated three or more times, often copying other birds and even mechanical sounds. Mockingbirds frequently sing at night. The call note is a harsh chack.

How it lives

Over a year, the mockingbird eats roughly half insects and other small creatures, mostly in late spring and summer, and half berries and wild fruit, especially in fall and winter, often hunting on open lawns. It defends its nest fiercely, diving at cats and even people.

Where to see one in Tennessee

The mockingbird is a common year-round resident across the whole state. It is easiest to find in suburban neighborhoods, particularly around thick, berry-bearing shrubs, and it sings most persistently in the nesting season.

Declining in Tennessee

Worldwide the mockingbird is a species of least concern, with a population of about 43 million. But the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency reports that its numbers in the state have declined over several decades, for reasons not yet known; maturing forests and fewer fencerows on farms may play a part. The species was once heavily trapped for the cage-bird trade and recovered after that ended.

The state bird since 1933

In 1933 the Tennessee Ornithological Society held a statewide election for a state bird, and on April 11 the mockingbird was chosen. The Legislature confirmed the choice by resolution the same year. Four other states, Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi and Texas, also have the mockingbird as their state bird.