The Northern Mockingbird

Author: Marina Benson
I'm a bird lover and a bird watcher. Another day I was in my front yard with my family doing a barbecue when I saw a different bird. I was watching that bird for few minutes and I asked my father in Law what type of bird is that? He told me that it was a Mockingbird. I kept watching and I saw another Mocking bird. They were flying back and forth to a bush close to us. When they flew away I went to see what was going in on in that bush. I saw a nest with 3 eggs so I kept far from the bushes. After seeing that I got curious and I started my research about the Mockingbird.
I watched them for several months. While I was watching them I wrote about their behavior, their descriptions and what they ate. According to Wikipedia There are about 17 species of the mockingbird family. Here is a list of them.

• Brown-backed Mockingbird
• Bahama Mockingbird
• Long-tailed Mockingbird
• Patagonian Mockingbird
• Chilean-Mockingbird
• White-banded Mockingbird
• Northern Mockingbird
• Socorro Mockingbird
• Tropical Mockingbird
• Chalk-browed Mockingbird
• Hood Mockingbird
• Galapagos Mockingbird
• Floreana Mockingbird
• San Cristobal Mockingbird
• Blue Mockingbird rare in USA
• Blue and white Mockingbird

The Northern Mockingbird is the only mockingbird species seen in Florida.
I see them often in my backyard and I love to watch them. They are beautiful. In my opinion when I see them standing still with their long straight tail it creates an impression of respect, power and majesty.
The Northern Mockingbird description
Their tails are dark gray with white outer tail feathers. Their wings are primarily dark gray with white marks and their bodies are light gray on the top and white on the bottom. They have long legs, long tails, and pale eyes.
Their behavior
They're not afraid of the human presence as they get close to me to sing their songs for long periods of time. Each song is repeated for several times before changing to the next song. They remind me of Blue Jays because they mimic sounds of other birds, cats and dogs, as Blue Jays do.
The Northern Mockingbird is extending its territory further north, however it is still primarily a Southern bird. The Northern Mockingbird is considered the state bird of Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Texas.
What do Mockingbirds eat?
I have a squirrel proof bird feeder in my backyard and I filled it with fresh seeds. I waited to see if the Northern Mockingbirds would be attracted by the food and if they would stop to eat the fresh seeds that it is in my squirrel proof bird feeder. It has been several months now that the mockingbirds have been in my backyard. I have never seen any Mockingbirds eating from my squirrel proof bird feeder. I then found out that they don't like to eat from the squirrel proof bird feeders because they don't eat seeds. They like to eat bugs, insects, worms, suet, dried grapes or dried raisins, figs, berries, apples, oranges and dogwood.
The type of feeders that you should put in your yard for them are suet feeders, platform feeders, and fruit feeders.
The Northern Mockingbirds love water. I can see them in my backyard taking a bath and refreshing from the hot summer. By providing Mockingbirds with a bird bath you can attract them to your backyard and capture beautiful scenes like this one.
Their Nest
The Northern Mockingbird prefers to nest in small trees or bushes. The male and female Northern Mockingbird builds their nest in a cup shape using small twigs, hair, weeds, leaves, moss, feathers, thin roots and freshly cut grasses. After the nest is built the female mockingbird lays between 3 to 5 eggs per nest and incubates them for about 2 weeks. When the eggs are hatched, the female and the male take turns feeding the chicks. The eggs are blue with brown markings.
The Mockingbird is a territorial songbird. They will protect their territory and their nests from other birds and predators all the time. It doesn't matter how big the predator is, they will chase and attack anything that approaches their nests including people.

Category › bird behavior , bird food , bird habitat , bird nest , mockingbird , mockingbird habitat , northern mockingbird , songbirds

Spring Time "In Your Birding Sanctuary" Can Be Exciting

Author: Gary Stair
In the Spring time, all kinds of birds are scrambling to make a bird nest suitable for their young and the females are anxious to lay their eggs. My family and I are excited as a female Bluebird just laid its first egg in a bluebird House near our shed. Our Blue Bird House is unique because it has doors on both sides and one side is completely plexiglassed, making nest observing easy and safe for children and adults of all ages.
Do you have all your nest boxes up and ready for the birds to move in? There is a huge cavity shortage for the birds. As large old trees are cut down and logged to make room for building developments, the cavity dwelling birds, such as bluebirds, are having trouble finding suitable nesting locations.
A well designed and place bluebird house is essential in attracting blue birds to your yard. The overall dimensions should be approximately 5"w x 5"d x 16"h with the entrance hole of 1.5" in diameter. The nesting box should be 3 to 6 feet off the ground. Ventilation holes on the top and bottom of the Bluebird house allows fresh air to circulate keeping the nest dry.
At our house, we have placed several bird houses of all sizes around our property. We have been able to attract many different song birds over the years. We only use black oil sunflower seeds in our bird feeders, which most songbirds love. We found that bird seed mixes that contains millet, milo or cracked corn only attract big ugly birds and the song birds won't even eat it.
So, if your bird nesting boxes are not ready to be used, get out there and get them ready!
For more information on Blue Bird Houses, visit: www.birdbathhouse.com/bird_houses
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/bird-watching-articles/spring-time-in-your-birding-sanctuary-can-be-exciting-2660875.html
About the Author
The Bird Bath House is owned by Stair Enterprises, LLC, a family owned business since 2009. We love the outdoors and value every moment we can immerse ourselves in it. Our goal is to create a shopping experience that would be easy and fun for our customers who adore their feathered visitors as much as we do. We want to share our knowledge with our customers in order for them to be successful at attracting birds to their garden or patio area.
For more information on Blue Bird Houses visit: www.birdbathhouse.com/bird_houses
Visit our Blog at: http://thebestbirdhouse.blogspot.com/

Category › bird nest , blue bird house , purple martin house

Do Wild Birds Recognize Faces?

Author: Bill Askenburg
A few weeks back, a mourning dove nested in a hanging basket at the doorway of our well-traveled mudroom. We have taken great care not to threaten the nest, and our courtesy has paid off. We have a front row view of the nest - watching the nestlings grow into fledglings, soon to fly away.
Even though we have been careful not to disturb the nest, I was surprised that the doves stayed and flourished. They appear relatively comfortable and unchanged when we are around. Conversely, they become alert and even fly away, if a stranger comes near.
Do the doves know and trust us? Is it even possible for a wild bird to recognize and remember a particular person? Yes, they can.
Wild birds can identify individual people and remember if they have threatened them in the past. In a recent University of Florida study, mockingbirds recognized and took an aggressive action towards test individuals who had approached their nest over a five day period. Similarly, the mockingbirds ignored other passersby who had not approached the nest before.
The study concluded that mockingbirds could clearly recognize specific individuals, retain negative perceptions about those individuals, and accomplish this within a brief amount of time.
Another study done by wildlife biologist John M. Marzluff at the University of Washington revealed that birds can identify and remember faces. Marzluff tested the reaction of crows to individuals who wore masks on campus.
Crows were trapped, banded and released by individuals wearing a designated “dangerous” mask. For a number of weeks after the crows’ release, individuals wore “neutral” as well as “dangerous” masks around campus. The subjects in “dangerous” masks were harassed and scolded more than those individuals who wore “neutral” masks. From these results, Marzluff concluded that the crows recognized faces separately from that of clothing, gait and other individual characteristics.
So the next time you pass a wild bird, consider offering a polite nod and smile as you walk by - you may be making a new a feathered friend rather than a foe.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/bird-watching-articles/do-wild-birds-recognize-faces-962023.html
About the Author
“by Bill Askenburg, Owner - New England Birdhouse. We specialize in fine architectural bird houses and feeders, offering handcrafted custom and stock replica bird houses and backyard birding supplies and garden decor. For more information or articles please visit our blog.”

Category › bird feeder , bird memory , bird nest , birds , birds recognize people

Your Backyard Birds: Black-Capped Chickadee

Author: Bill Askenburg

Black-Capped Chickadee

Scientific Name: Poecile atricapilla

The state bird of Maine and Massachusetts, the Black-Capped Chickadee is a small, common songbird in the Tit family generally found throughout Alaska, Canada and the northern United States.
Their rounded head, distinctive black cap, white cheeks and long narrow tail make them easily identifiable in the suburban backyard. Their innate curiosity makes them likely to be the first birds to discover a new garden feeder, and their nests can be found in the backyard by observing and following them carrying wood chips while they excavate a nesting cavity.
The male and female look alike, although males tend to be a little longer and heavier. Black-Capped Chickadees have an average life span of about 2-3 years.

Identification Facts

Head to Tail Length: 4 - 5 inches
Distinctive Features: round head, black crown and throat, white cheeks, short bill, pale gray top, gray to ruddy orange bottom
Male & Female Characteristics: very similar, males are a little longer and heavier

Songs & Calls

The Black-Cap Chickadee’s vocalizations are very complex in meaning and use. Their song is a simple, clear whistle of two notes, identical in rhythm sounding like bee-bay. The song is used to maintain contact with the flock, as the males only sing when in relative isolation from other chickadees.
Their most familiar call is chick-a-dee-dee-dee, which gave this bird its name. It is commonly a warning message and includes variations for specific predators. Research has shown that the number of dees in a call relates to the severity of the threat from nearby predators.

Nesting Behavior

Distribution: Alaska, Canada and northern US
Nest Type: cavity nesters
Breeding Season: April - May (depending on region), laying eggs shortly after building nest. One brood per season
Migration: do not migrate, rather form “foraging flocks” in winter - traveling from area to area for food together for safety.
Nest Facts: Both male and female excavate for the nest, but only the female builds the nest. To find their nest in your backyard, follow Black-Capped Chickadees carrying wood chips, because they commonly are seen carrying chips away from inside their nesting cavity.
They typically lay 6-8 eggs, and incubation lasts about two weeks, with only the female showing responsibility. When eggs begin to hatch, the male brings most of the food so the female can continue to warm the eggs.
Once all of the eggs are hatched, both parents bring the nestlings food. Fledglings leave the nest approximately 5-7 weeks after hatching.

Diet

Food Type: primarily eat insects, snails, seeds and berries. Seed mixes that include black oil sunflower seeds, gray striped sunflower seeds, peanut kernels, hulled sunflower seeds will attract Black Capped-Chickadees. They especially enjoy insect or fruit suet.

Similar species

Carolina Chickadee - Telling the difference between the Black-Capped and Carolina is virtually impossible, with the most obvious difference between them being their songs. Black-capped sings a two note song while Carolina sings a four note song.
Chestnut-Backed Chickadees - reside along the coast of the Pacific Northwest, ranging from Central California up into Canada.
Boreal and Chestnut-backed Chickadees have more brown in their plumages than the Black-capped.


Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/bird-watching-articles/your-backyard-birds-blackcapped-chickadee-982766.html
About the Author
“by Bill Askenburg, Owner - New England Birdhouse. We specialize in fine architectural bird houses and feeders, offering handcrafted custom and stock replica bird houses and backyard birding supplies and garden decor. For more information or articles please visit our blog.”

Category › bird feeder , bird food , bird nest , black capped chickadee , boreal chickadee , carolina chickadee , chestnut backed chickadee , fruit feeder , state bird of maine , state bird of massachusetts , suet

Top Five Myths About Rescuing Baby Wild Birds

Author: Bill Askenburg
There are many misconceptions about what to do when rescuing a displaced baby bird. Here's a list of the top 5 myths about rescuing a baby bird:
5. Mother birds push their defective young out of the nests - FALSE
If an egg doesn’t hatch, birds will sometimes roll it out of the nest, But wild birds do not push their young out of nests. Typically, baby wild birds will be knocked out of their nest by a fellow nest-mate, by the wind or more likely dragged out by a predator. It’s also not true that a wild bird parent will carry their young back to the nest.
4. Wild birds will not return to a fallen nest if it is put back into place - FALSE
Wild birds will absolutely return to a fallen nest, especially if called by their hungry babies. If a bird’s nest is knocked to the ground, return it near it’s original location. If the nest is damaged, the remaining material can be put inside a container with drainage holes (e.g. strawberry container) and wired into place near the original location. Set the babies back into the nest and watch from a distance to make sure the parents find the nest. The parents should return before nightfall. If they do not return to the nest, contact a wildlife rehabilitation specialist for more information.
3. It’s OK to try to raise a displaced baby wild bird yourself. - FALSE
Only people who are licensed rehabilitators, or veterinarians who occasionally treat wildlife on an emergency basis, may legally care for wildlife. Otherwise, it is against state and federal laws for people to raise wild birds.
2. Any displaced baby wild bird should be returned to their nest. - FALSE
A nestling (pink or beginning feathers) should be placed back in the nest, and observed until the parents return. A fledgling (2-3 week old, fluffy with 1/2? tail feathers) commonly exit and return to the nest as they learn to fly. If fledgling activity is observed in your backyard, keep pets and kids a safe distance away and leave the birds alone.
1. If you touch a baby wild bird, the mother will abandon it - FALSE
Birds have little to no sense of smell, and are dedicated parents who put a great deal of time and energy into feeding and caring for their young. Touching the baby bird will have no effect on the parents’ decision to care for the baby wild bird. If the nestling is cold to the touch, it can be cupped in the hands and warmed before putting it back into the nest.
What to do if you find a displaced baby wild bird
If you see a bird in distress, make sure there are no predators in the area (put cats and dogs indoors) and keep children a safe distance back.
Determine if the bird is nestling (pink and few feathers) or a fledgling (fuzzy, hopping and flapping, 1/2? tail feathers). If it is a fledgling, let it be, as it is likely just practicing some new skills. If it’s a nestling, locate the nest and return it.
If the nest is lost or destroyed, hang or secure a container with drainage holes lined with dry paper towels near the original location of the nest. Do not attempt to give food or water to the baby bird. Return the baby birds to the nest and observe. If the parents have not returned by nightfall, bring the nestling indoors (warm, quiet, covered box with air holes) and contact a wildlife rehabilitation specialist in your area.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/bird-watching-articles/top-five-myths-about-rescuing-baby-wild-birds-942852.html
About the Author
By Bill Askenburg, Owner & Artisan - New England Birdhouse, http://www.newenglandbirdhouse.com. We specialize in architectural birdhouses, offering handcrafted custom and stock replica birdhouses and backyard birding supplies. For more articles visit our blog at http://blog.newenglandbirdhouse.com

Category › baby birds in distress , bird house , bird nest , rescuing baby birds , returning birds to nest