Something a little different from me today.
Northern Mockingbirds are known for their incredibly diverse song repertoire. They can learn as many as 200 songs and they often mimic sounds in their environment, including songs of other mockingbirds, songs of other bird species, barking dogs, car alarms and creaky gates. The list is almost endless.
One theory is that if a female prefers males who sing more songs, a male can top his rivals by quickly adding some of the sounds around him.to his repertoire.
1/3200, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
Ten days ago on Antelope Island I found a male mockingbird that seemed determined to sing snippets from his entire songbook. He was singing from a natural perch instead of one of the poop-covered pavilion roofs so I chose to stay with him for quite a while, which provided him a highly appreciative audience. I was photographing him most of the time but I couldn’t resist recording a few short videos of his performance.
Below are three of them. I thought some of my readers might enjoy seeing and hearing snippets of his recital.
I count three different song types in this 13 second performance.
And at least six more in this 22 second performance.
In this last clip I can’t help but think that his closing short song is celebratory in nature, after “getting the job done”.
As one who suffered (understatement) from a common side effect of opioid pain meds after my last back surgery, I fully understand why he might feel like celebrating.
Ron
For several years there was a mockingbird in my neighborhood that seemed to be singing the words “idiot bird, idiot bird” in the middle of the rest of his repertoire. Since he often sang well through the night I can only imagine he made some neighbor just annoyed enough…
That’s funny, Jim. Really funny!
Thank you for the lovely serenades from this prolific Mocker! The photo is stunning and the videos pure delight.
Thanks, Melanie.
Enjoyed this post. Years ago I was on a birding hike with a group in a nature area in northern CA. We heard the beeping of heavy equipment backing up but there was no equipment around. Of course, a mockingbird. 😊
I’m not surprised, Laurie. That annoying beeping seems to be everywhere these days.
Thank you – and Tom.
One of our kittens is totally perplexed by your videos. He was sitting beside me as the mockingbird began to sing – and is still looking for it.
PS: I hear you on that opiod effect too..
Made me smile about your cat, EC.
OK– after the mention of the “vasalva maneuver”, I was curious enough to google it, but am still curious as to how it applied to the nightingale in this
post ?
Kris, I presume Marty was referring to the “straining during defecation” mentioned in this definition from the National Institutes of Health. If not, maybe she’ll clarify.
“The Valsalva maneuver is forced expiration against a closed glottis. It mimics many normal and, in some cases, routine activities, such as straining during defecation, blowing up a balloon, or playing the saxophone.
Yep. It’s about increasing abdominal pressure to poop — or to push out a kid (there are all sorts of uses for it, including clearing your ears at altitude too).
The term popped into my head when I saw the Mockingbird let one go, so into my comment it went. And Ron, don’t feel bad about being a bio teacher and looking it up. I feel like it’s more of an anat/phys thing anyway, I never heard it in any of my HS or college bio classes (or even HS anat/phys); it wasn’t until my anat/phys classes at UCLA.
I took Human Anatomy and Physiology at Palomar College in San Marcos as a sophomore, so I have no excuses. But I sure don’t remember seeing the term before.
We have had one singing just outside our condo bedroom balcony in St George the last 3-4 years. He and his mate usually nest in the tree in the next unit’s courtyard. I have thoroughly enjoyed listening to his varied songs and watching his display. I posted a few phone videos a year ago. Not as nice as yours from your R5.
Thanks, April. I just wish I could hold that long lens steadier.
“I know me – if I’d bought the cheaper lens I’d have been very unsatisfied with my photos so I’m sure I wouldn’t have lasted long in bird photography. I owe Tom a lot.”
WE owe Tom a lot! ❤️
The range of sounds a Mockingbird can make always astounds me. Love the “pre-deed” squawk in the last video. Gettin’ ready for that Valsalva maneuver! 😂
You got me, Marty – had to look up “valsalva maneuver”. As a biologist I’m embarrassed that I had to. I’m surprised that I’d never heard of it. Maybe I have and don’t remember…
Listening to these songs was a very nice way to start the day. Thank you.
They are a very rare sighting here; one was spotted in my neighborhood in 1965. Not surprisingly, BotW goes into excruciating detail on its vocal behavior.
You’re welcome, Lyle.
“Excruciating detail” indeed. I tried to wade through it but didn’t get far.
Tom sounds like a wise man……I thoroughly enjoyed this morning’s post !
I wonder if mockingbirds learn all of these songs/sound-effects also as a
form of self-entertainment ? Wonder after wonderment in nature–how can
anyone be “bored” if only they look and listen……
Kris, Tom wasn’t just wise, he was very generous with his time.
I hadn’t met him, and I never did, but he spent many hours online with me, advising me on which lens to buy when I was contemplating purchasing my first birding lens. He steered me toward the 500 f/4, a very expensive lens, when I was about to buy a much cheaper lens.
I know me – if I’d bought the cheaper lens I’d have been very unsatisfied with my photos so I’m sure I wouldn’t have lasted long in bird photography. I owe Tom a lot.
That is special indeed Ron – thanks for posting. Only once have I seen and photographed one here and for whatever reason at that particular time it was silent.
Memorial Day Remembrances to all.
Everett US Navy 1955-1960
“Only once have I seen and photographed one here”
Everett, a good friend of mine made this point about mockingbirds that might help to explain that – ” It amazes me that the range boundary is so sharp that this species is rare in Ada County”. Ada County is the Boise, ID area.
thanks for the mockingbird songs! Nothing like starting the day on a bright and cheery note.
Thank you, Kate.
Ron, your comment that the Mockingbird can learn sounds other than bird songs struck a chord with me!
Several years ago when I was shooting with a Canon 7D Mark II, the eight frames per second mechanical shutter made quite a loud clackety-clackity clack type sound.
One day I was shooting a mockingbird chowing down on some berries with that camera.
As soon as I had finished shooting, he immediately turned to me, look directly at me, and repeated the clackety clackety clack sound of my camera. I was so startled that I just froze there in admiration. I wish I’d had the presence of mind to turn on the video.
Your series this morning reminded me of that event and I thank you for it! It’s also nice to be able to share this experience with someone who knows that it could actually happen.
Loved your story, Dennis. And now, since I shot with a 7DII for years, that loud “clackety clackety clack” sound is going through my head.
Wonderful clips and info. Did you find other birds?
Thanks, Brett. Yes. Willets, meadowlarks, magpies, curlews, shrikes and a few others.
It’s still dark out and I’m sitting at my desk with the window open reading your post. In the background I can hear one of our local Mockingbirds singing away.
Thanks for the smile and chuckle this morning Ron. You know I love these birds.
Once had to take opioids for kidney stone pain. OMG, do I ever know and relate!
“In the background I can hear one of our local Mockingbirds singing away.”
Then, good timing for this post, Michael.
For the first week or so after my surgery I remember thinking that that particular side effect was the worst part of my recovery, even worse than the surgical pain. And that’s saying something.
We have a lot of mocking birds in our area. I love hearing them and watching their behavior. There’s a pair that always nests in the fence line by our garden. They are very animated. They come to the porch and visit us. The male likes to sit on the power lines in the front yard, and demonstrate his vocal skills. He also likes to get on the roof at night when the moon is full and sing. These are fabulous birds.
“Fabulous birds” indeed, Jimmy. I envy your close association with that mockingbird pair. I never see or hear them in my neighborhood.
Fun series, Ron…… 🙂 Certainly has a variety of sounds it can make! Pretty even if a relatively “plain” bird……. 😉
“Lest we forget” Beautiful morning here to pause and reflect……
Thanks, Judy. Yes, they’re pretty “plain”, at least until they spread their wings – something they share with Willets.
The Grand Finale is funny 🙂 About 20 yrs ago at a neighbor’s house where there were several mockingbirds, there was one mockingbird that gave a grand performance, almost unbelievable! the range of notes, the twirls, the long notes it held, the tunes, for more than one minute! Unforgettable!
Terry, this guy was singing for so long from this perch I eventually left him in place to look for other birds. I don’t do that very often.
The often-quoted (by him) motto of one of my early bird photography mentors, Tom Webster, was “Never leave birds to look for birds”. So, as I was driving away from this mockingbird Tom’s ‘voice’ was nagging at me.