Texas State Bird - Northern Mockingbird

The northern mockingbird has been the Texas state bird since 1927. The bird was chosen as a state bird for a number of different characteristics, including its willingness to fight.

Texas Chooses a State Bird

The Texas Federation of Women’s Clubs started the push to name a state bird. After holding a statewide ballot, they suggested the northern mockingbird to the Texas state legislature for approval. On January 31, 1927, the state did just that. With Texas Statutes, Government Code Title 1, Chapter 3101, Section 3101-007, the northern mockingbird was officially named the Texas state bird. According to NetState, the following reasons were given for the choice of the mockingbird:

• "It is found in all parts of the State"
• "Ornithologists, musicians, educators and Texans in all walks of life unite in proclaiming the Mockingbird the most appropriate species for the state bird of Texas"
• “It is a singer of distinctive type, a fighter for the protection of his home, falling if need be, in its defense, like any true Texan”

The mockingbird is also the state bird of Tennessee, Arkansas, Florida and Mississippi.

About The Texas State Bird – The Northern Mockingbird

The northern mockingbird, or mimus polyglottos, is a very distinct bird. It is the only mockingbird found in North America, save for a nearly extinct related species found in limited numbers in the southern US. The bird is found throughout Mexico, The Bahamas and northern Caribbean as well as most of the southeastern and central United States. They are also frequently found in extreme southeastern points in Canada. Only in the northern most parts of the mockingbird’s natural habitat do the birds migrate for summer.

Mockingbirds are so named for their ability to mimic, or “mock”, the calls of other birds. Although it may be hard to discern, when a mockingbird sings, it is actually not one sound but a series of imitations of the songs of other birds. They repeat a single imitation two or three times in a row then move on to another imitation. The change happens rapidly. There are recordings of mockingbirds doing four series of imitations in seven seconds. Typically, mockingbirds memorize the songs of between 25 and 30 other birds and rotate through them when they sing.

In terms of mating, northern mockingbirds are monogamous. In February, the male mockingbird chooses a mating area. It then begins to call loudly to any female that enters the mating area. If the female doesn’t respond, the male bird tries a softer call. Once a female responds to the male’s calls, they mate and remain partners through the entire mating season. The same couples will frequently mate several years in a row.

After mating, the male bird builds a nest while the female patrols the area for predators. With the nest complete, the female lays the eggs – usually three to five – and then sits on them for a two-week incubation period. The male and female then share the responsibility for feeding and tending the hatchlings until they are ready to live on their own.

Mockingbirds are territorial, especially when they are raising young. They start by calling out loudly to try to scare off potential predators, and if predators do not back down, they are known to attack. If they feel particularly threatened, mockingbirds will call out to other mockingbirds for back up, and they may attack en masse. Further, other birds recognize the mockingbird call for help and have been observed gathering in the area to watch the fight.

Mockingbirds will attack dogs, cats and even humans that threaten their territory. In Tulsa, Oklahoma, a mail carrier was routinely attacked by a group of mockingbirds as she made her rounds. The attacks became so aggressive that the post office had to warn residents of the area of the danger and the postal carrier had to carry a water pistol to protect herself from the birds.

Despite their aggressive behavior, mockingbirds were once popular pets. It is now illegal in most areas to own a mockingbird.

Heather McDonald