January’s Bird of the Month is the Northern Mockingbird, and here is the article in the upcoming January 2019 Kite written by Clive and Celecia Pinnock.

January Bird of the Month – Northern Mockingbird

Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
by Clive and Celecia Pinnock

The Northern Mockingbird is the state bird in five states in the United States: Florida, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Texas. It was also once the state bird of South Carolina but was replaced in 1948 by the Carolina Wren.

Mockingbirds are common backyard birds within their home range, but they very rarely visit feeders. They are more often observed on open lawns foraging for insects and are also frequently seen in fruiting trees and bushes. In addition, they are found in parks, forest edges, and open land with hedges, shrubbery and thickets. In these locations they can be seen perched conspicuously on vegetation, telephone wires and fences or running around on the ground.

The Northern Mocking Bird is a medium-sized songbird measuring 10 inches in length with a small head, a relatively long thin, slightly downward-curved bill, and long gray-black legs. Its wings are short, rounded and broad, making its tail seem particularly long, especially in flight. It is mostly gray-brown in color, paler on the breast and belly, with two white wing bars on each wing. There are also two very noticeable white outer tail feathers bordering the tail.

Found alone or in pairs throughout the year, mockingbirds aggressively chase off intruders from their territory. Their aggression toward potential threats has no boundaries. They will confront not only other birds larger or smaller than they are, but will just as assertively drive cats, dogs, other animals and humans away from the proximity of their nest sites.

One of the many traits of the mockingbird is the repertoire of its songs during the breeding season, sung throughout the day and often into the night. As is typical in songbirds, the male will usually sing from a highly visible location to proclaim his territory as well as to advertise his availability to a perspective mate. Unlike most other songbirds, however, the female mockingbird sings as well, usually more quietly than the male and more often in the fall.

Photographers – please note that next month’s February bird of the month is the Brown Thrasher.

Please check out the picture by John Sutton in the January KITE cover and to see the slide show of the entire virtual gallery this month, along with photographer etc  — click on BOM SLIDE SHOW below the pictures displayed here:

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BOM SLIDE SHOW – January 2019 Bird of the Month – Northern Mockingbird