Northern Mockingbird Identification, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology (2024)

Northern Mockingbird Photos and Videos

Northern Mockingbird Identification, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology (1)

Adult

Medium-sized slender songbird with a long tail. Adults are grayish above and whitish below with two white wingbars.

Northern Mockingbird Identification, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology (2)

Adult

Medium-sized slender songbird with a long tail. Adults are grayish above and whitish below. Mimics songs of other songbirds.

Adult

Very vocal: song is a long series of phrases, with each phrase repeated 2–6 times before shifting to a new sound. Many sounds are mimicked. Both males and females sing.

Northern Mockingbird Identification, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology (4)

Juvenile

Juveniles have spotted breasts.

Adult

Flashes white wing patches in flight.

Adult

Note distinctive slender shape with long tail. The large white wing patches visible in flight fold up into a small white mark when the bird is perched.

Northern Mockingbird Identification, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology (7)

Adult

White wing patches are distinctive.

Northern Mockingbird Identification, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology (8)

Adult

Often runs and hops along the ground. Found alone or in pairs year-round.

Adults

When defending territory boundaries, rival birds fly toward each other, land near the boundary, and face off, silently hopping from one side to another. Eventually, one bird retreats and the other chases it a short ways.

Adult

Usually sits conspicuously on high vegetation, fences, eaves, or telephone wires. Found in in towns, suburbs, backyards, parks, forest edges, and open land at low elevations.

Adult

Both sexes help build the nest, with the male starting several nests and the female choosing one and then finishing it, lining it with grasses, rootlets and other soft vegetation. This video has no audio.

See more images of this species in Macaulay Library

Compare with Similar Species

Click on an image to compare

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

Sage Thrasher

Looking for ID Help?

Get Instant ID help for 650+ North American birds.

Try Merlin Bird ID

The Four Keys to ID

A medium-sized songbird, a bit more slender than a thrush and with a longer tail. Mockingbirds have small heads, a long, thin bill with a hint of a downward curve, and long legs. Their wings are short, rounded, and broad, making the tail seem particularly long in flight.
Relative Size
Slightly larger than a Gray Catbird
robin-sized
Measurements
- Both Sexes
- Length: 8.3-10.2 in (21-26 cm)
  Weight: 1.6-2.0 oz (45-58 g)
  Wingspan: 12.2-13.8 in (31-35 cm)
Color Pattern
Behavior
Habitat

Northern Mockingbird Identification, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology (2024)

Northern Mockingbird Photos and Videos

Adult

Adult

Adult

Juvenile

Adult

Adult

Adult

Adult

Adults

Adult

Adult

Compare with Similar Species

Looking for ID Help?

The Four Keys to ID

Relative Size

Measurements