Adult Mockingbird Protective Behavior

Over the past week or so, I have felt blessed to be able to be an eyewitness to a nest of baby mockingbirds in my crepe myrtle tree. I have felt the pain of the mother bird when its baby was killed. And, I have experienced the joy of the baby bird taking its first steps toward learning how to fly. The biggest thing I have observed and learned more about is the protective behavior of the adult mockingbird.

Yesterday, I found myself totally wrapped up in keeping an eye on the baby and adult mockingbirds. It was nearly impossible to get any other work done. I normally would have spent the afternoon weeding my side and back yards ... but there was absolutely no way that the two adult mockingbirds would leave me alone!

When the baby mockingbirds were still in the nest, I found I could move around my backyard without being dive bombed by the adult mockingbirds. Once the birds were out of the nest and hopping around the yard, things changed. They become louder and more vocal and were shouting at me as I entered certain areas of the yard. Quite a few times, they flew at the back of me with some vengeance. "OK, OK!" I kept telling them.

So, I opted to spend a little time with the adult mockingbirds in the back area of my yard near the nest. I was talking to them all the while they answered me back in bird talk ... "Hit the road, sister!" "Scram." "Hey, get outta here!" And, then, probably after I snapped some twenty-two pictures ... "Stop taking my picture!"

Adult Mockingbird Protective Behavior in 22 Photos

Here is a sequence of twenty-two photos as I took them of the adult mockingbird exhibiting very protective behavior as I was too near the nest. You can view it like a slide show by clicking on the first one, at the left below, and then cycling through the subsequent photos with the right arrow!

Did you have a favorite photo of the adult mockingbird exhibiting its protective behavior? I personally can't pick just one, but have a few that are quite interesting. For example, in #11, I love how the mockingbird seems to look right at me, "What's the matter with you?"

In another blog post, I'll share more photos of the adult mockingbird pair that shows them when they were doing their mating dance!

Want to know more about identifying backyard birds? You might appreciate the National Geographic Backyard Guide to the Birds of North America. I've long been a fan of National Geographic and yearned to be a photo journalist for them. So, I guess in a way I am a backyard bird photo journalist today!

In closing ... I want to personally thank each and every one of you who have enjoyed my photos and stories about the mockingbirds. I also appreciate those that do not steal copyrighted images.

Baby Mockingbird Learning to Fly

After finding the dead baby mockingbird this morning, I have been more curious about the progression of the baby mockingbirds' new lives. It was right around lunch time that I was out in my backyard putting out some cubes of bread for the birds. I then went to check on the mockingbird nest. The adult mockingbirds were a bit more menacing today, so I didn't spend much time outside. A short time later, I looked out to see if any bird had found the bread cubes. That's when I saw a baby mockingbird hopping through my backyard coming towards the mexican petunia garden.

Baby Mockingbird Hiding in Mexican Petunia

"Hello Little Peep!" I whispered as I snapped the baby mockingbird as it hopped into the base of one of my Mexican Petunias to seek refuge. Next thing I knew, there was a whole lot of squawking and dive bombing by the pair of adult mockingbirds. "OK, OK!" I exclaimed.

BABY MOCKINGBIRD LEARNING TO FLY

I came inside and then watched for the little baby mockingbird to move. And, oh boy did it ever! It was hopping like crazy until it got to the privacy fence. Then, it started to test its little wings.

Baby Mockingbird Testing Its Wings for the First Time

Along the length of the sideyard privacy fence the little bird was testing its wings! It was the cutest thing to see.

Baby Mockingbird Testing Its Wings for the First Time

I wonder if the adult mockingbird told the little baby to get out there and test those wings. And, if the adult told the baby, I'll keep my eye on you if you need me. Now, go ahead and learn how to fly! Then, we'll go for a FLY around later.

Baby Mockingbird in the Cypress Mulch

As I stepped out into the sideyard to check on the baby mockingbird, it concerned me that it was so vulnerable. If I can get this close to take that baby's picture, what about that red shouldered hawk that lives in the neighborhood. It makes me seriously think that is what happened to the previous baby mockingbird! It must have been learning to fly and the hawk just snapped it up! YUMM, lunch!

Baby Mockingbird Hiding Behind Fence Post

I see you! The baby mockingbird found a little spot behind the fence post to hide. I'm pretty sure if a hawk wants to get you, he can! Be careful.

It seems that when a baby mockingbird is learning to fly, that he or she is pretty much on his own! I wonder if the adult bird said, "watch me ... and go ahead and do it!" I would have thought that the adult would be there on the ground with the little bird being a little more helpful.

Adult Mockingbird Guarding the Nest

A few hours later, I came outside to check on that little bird. Holy Smokes! But it became a little more dangerous to try and walk into my sideyard. This time, the adults were teaming up to get me out of the yard. When I came inside, I came to my side window in the master bath. There, I could clearly hear the sound of the baby someplace along the side of the house ... and the adult was running along the top of the fence to check on it. Where will that baby go tonight for refuge?

Adult Mockingbird Guarding the Nest

Take a look at those two last pictures of the adult mockingbirds guarding the nest. I'm thinking those are the two different adults. Can you see the "stink eye" they have on?

As I sit here writing this blog post, it is about three and one half hours or so since I started to chart the baby mockingbird hopping through the yard, testing its wings and learning to fly. Throughout that time, I have observed the adults doing extra duty! They are keeping an eye on the young one in the yard and still feeding a little one or two still in the nest! I can hear the baby sounds the little peeps make when the adult has food!

I am seriously hoping that the little peep learns to fly and can seek some refuge tonight from the cats who come to dinner ... I don't want them being the dinner! And, what do I have for my dinner? Why, I have seriously fixed some breaded baked boneless chicken wings ... had some last night and tonight it is leftovers with rice.

FLY, FLY AWAY BABY MOCKINGBIRD!

Baby Mockingbird RIP

It was a sad morning when I came out to check on the mockingbird nest of little peeps. For some reason, the little peeps sound was a bit diminished to my ears. However, the adult mockingbirds were as protective as ever of the nest as they hopped from branch to branch giving me the serious stink eye and cautioning me to move on.

Each day, especially in the early mornings, I will walk to the side of my backyard to get a good angle at the sunflower garden. There is a bit of a rise at the corner of the fence near the remaining giant water oak. As I stand up a bit, I capture some of the best landscape shots of my blossoming sunflower garden.

I'm not sure why this morning was a little different. Perhaps it is my maternal, nurturing instinct that made me walk towards the back of the property along the tree line of crepe myrtles. Then, my eyes were directed to the ground. Oh my! I couldn't believe my eyes.

Baby Mockingbird RIP : June 9, 2014 8:40am

That is a picture of how I found the dead baby mockingbird. I looked at it for a while and then found a stick of cypress mulch to turn it over and check what might have killed that baby mockingbird.

Baby Mockingbird RIP : June 9, 2014 8:40am

When I looked at the right side of the dead bird, it confirmed that it was a mockingbird. And, when I see those feathers, they are very much like the size of the feathers that were found in my front yard the day the red shouldered hawk was stripping a captured bird in my Drake Elm tree!

Baby Mockingbird RIP : June 9, 2014 8:40am

Looking at the left side of the dead bird, it looks pretty in contact. I am not sure what might have killed this baby mockingbird! What's interesting is that the baby bird has some mighty strong looking legs and feet!Take a closer look at the feet -- don't they look mighty wicked for a mockingbird?

After a bit of examining the baby bird, I could see the flies were already clued in. An especially odd looking green one was comfortably attached to the body. I came inside and got a small shovel for digging. Next to where I found the body, I started to dig a deep hole. I picked up the dead bird with the shovel and set it into the deep hole. Then, I covered it with the dirt and tamped it down. RIP baby mockingbird!

Mockingbird Nest in My Crepe Myrtle Tree

For the past few weeks, I had been noticing a few adult mockingbirds hanging around my backyard. A couple of the mockingbirds had seemed a bit comfortable with me being out in my sunflower garden and other gardens.

Mockingbird on the Roof

That mockingbird on the roof looks rather like a juvenile. I could be wrong, especially when you consider that the next mockingbird on the roof has food in its beak.

Mockingbird on the Roof with Food

With all the mockingbirds in my yard, there had to be a nest of little ones nearby! But where?

Mockingbird Nest in My Crepe Myrtle Tree

In the Spring of 2012, I spent fourteen weeks with a Corona hand saw, pruning the 50 ft. growth from the crepe myrtle trees which line my backyard. If I hadn't brought my crepe myrtles into line, I would never have experienced the thrill of finding a mockingbird nest in one of those trees.

Baby Mockingbirds in a Nest in My Crepe Myrtle Tree

It was one of those normal days, where I was out in my backyard doing a walk around to photograph my sunflower garden from different angles. I had already encountered one adult mockingbird in the grass squawking at me.

Adult Mockingbird in Grass Guarding Nest Perimeter

Just this morning, the orange male tabby was walking into my backyard along the line of crepe myrtles. As he neared the fifth tree, I saw a mockingbird swoop down and throw him off balance. He shook that off and turned to approach me. I had his food out, but he was approaching me to say "Good Morning."

Adult Mockingbird in Tree Guarding Nest Perimeter

A couple of times a day, I will check on the mockingbird nest to see if the peeps are still active. Each time get up close to the tree, the pair of mockingbirds will appear out of the trees.

Adult Mockingbird in Tree Guarding Nest Perimeter

This year, I haven't had any adult mockingbird swoop down on me like it did to the cat. Perhaps they are smart enough to know that they don't need to fear me; I am on their side.

Adult Mockingbird in the Mulch with Dinner

It is pretty amazing how much food the adult mockingbirds can find in my yard! It might be a good thing that I haven't been using too much of the Spectracide Triazicide Once and Done Insect Killer Granules in my backyard. I have been treating my front yard consistently with the Spectracide and that might explain why the mockingbirds built their nest in the backyard.

Adult Mockingbird on the Fence

It was less than two weeks ago that I was looking out my front window and thought it was snowing! We had garbanzo bean sized hail for several days with the rain ... so, I was thinking, maybe snow? As I looked a little closer, I realized it was bird feathers! I was seeing the down. My eyes followed it up into the Drake Elm and I spied the red shouldered hawk stripping a bird. I opened the front door so that it disturbed the hawk who then flew off with its catch. After picking up all the down and gray, black and white feathers, it was obvious that the hawk got a mockingbird. But, was it an adult or baby? I think it was an adult!!

Mockingbird Silhouette in a Tree

A NEW FOUND APPRECIATION

Since I found the nest of baby mockingbirds, I've become quite familiar with the babies sound when the adults are bringing food into the nest. I can honestly hear that sound, I think, from my kitchen which is at the front of my house. That's how finely tuned my ears have become to those babies.

I've always enjoyed listening to the mockingbird as it sings its musical song and emits some of the coolest sounds I've heard. They say the mockingbird can imitate many other birds's songs along with insect and amphibian sounds! How about that? As I stand by the nest a couple of times a day, I will talk to the baby mockingbirds, "Hello peeps!" I use the word "peeps" a lot ... so if you encounter a mockingbird one day that makes a sound like "peeps" ... you will know where he got it!

Baby Mockingbirds in a Nest in My Crepe Myrtle Tree

Researching the mockingbird, I learned from Wikipedia that the Northern Mockingbird is the only mockingbird commonly found in North America. They eat insects and fruits which makes them omnivores. What is also pretty curious about these birds is that they are intelligent. Remember I said that the mockingbirds don't swoop down at me? They are smart enough to know that I am not their intruder.

The Northern Mockingbird on average will lay 4 eggs in one breeding season. As I looked into the nest for the first time, I only saw 3 beaks! The pair of mockingbirds can have 2 to 4 broods per year. That makes me tired as I have been listening to the baby mockingbirds throughout the day. My appreciation for the adults taking care of those babies is HUGE! They are constantly on guard for intruders and constantly searching for food.

How long before those little babies can fend for themselves? It says that after only 10 to 15 days since hatching, that those little offspring will become independent! Holy smokes -- only two weeks of life and off they go? Oh my, they better be careful around my backyard as that red shouldered hawk is pretty active.

CELEBRATE THE MOCKINGBIRD