Northern Mockingbird

Mimus polyglottos

Year-round in CharlotteCommon
The Mocking Bird (pl. 21) — engraved plate of the Northern Mockingbird
The Mocking Bird (pl. 21) · John James Audubon · Public domain

The take

The gray bird running through every other bird's song from the top of a crape myrtle.

How to ID it

  • Slender gray songbird with a long tail, small head, and long legs
  • Gray-brown with two white wingbars; white wing patches and outer tail feathers flash in flight
  • Sits conspicuously on high perches, fences, and wires and aggressively chases intruders

Field marks at a glance

Size
medium
Head
plain gray
Call
endless mimicked phrases, each repeated in threes

Where & when

Year-round in Charlotte

Learn more

Sources