THE MOCKINGBIRD 



By T. GILBERT PEARSON 



'^^e jj^ational SL&sociation ot SinUubon ^ocittitQ 



EDUCATIONAL LEAFLET NO. 41 



What the Nightingale is to Europe the Mockingbird is to the southern states, — 

 the most wonderful song-bird of the country and the universal favorite of the 

 people. His reputation as a musician is world-wide. Whoever hears his song is 

 deepl\- impressed, and wherever the story of the birds is told the power of the 

 Mockingbird's voice is recalled. He is one of the first in the spring to sing; indeed, 

 I have heard him near the northern border of his range, singing with great force 

 on a clear Februar}- morning when ice covered the trees. 



In those states which border on the Gulf of Mexico, Mockingbirds sing at 

 intervals throughout the winter months, and by March i are in full song. In 

 that semi-tropical climate they abound, and in many sections 

 Song are the most abundant species. I have sometimes thought that 



they must be conscious of the power of their numbers, from the 

 bold defiant manner in which the music will often come from a dozen or more 

 throats within hearing at one time, drowning in its volume the notes of all other 

 denizens of the fields and shrubbery. The bird revels in the glory of his vocal 

 strength, and shouts his ringing challenge to the trees, the flowers, the very sky 

 itself. Watch the Mockingbird some spring morning, as with rufSed feathers 

 and drooping wings he sits on the topmost bough of a neighboring tree and pours 

 out the beautiful story of his love. At times, the very intensity of the music within 

 his breast seems to lift him many feet in the air. With dangling legs and carelessly 

 flopping wings, he drops again to his perch, singing the while. Anon he descends 

 to the earth for a moment, a few rapid hops in the grass, and he bounds again into 

 the air with scarcely an intermission in his song. Music high and low, loud and 

 soft, hilarious and sad, with never a hesitation, never a false note, is what falls 

 upon your ears as you hearken to this wonderful, masterful fellow, the music-prince 

 of the southern highways and groves. However, it is at night that the Mocking- 

 bird is at his best. If he is the music-prince of the grove by day, he is the song- 

 king of the lawn on moonlight nights, when at times his singing may be heard 

 until dawn. 



Besides his native song, the Mockingbird has the wonderful power of acquir- 

 ing by practice the notes of many other birds he is accustomed to hear. He 

 imitates the song of the Robin and the Wood Thrush, the Bluebird and the 

 Wren. With wonderful distinctness he will give the clear whistle of the Cardinal 

 Grtxsbcak. In regions where the little Sparrow Hawk is a common resident, 

 man}- Mockers can reproduce its cry so perfectly as to deceive the most trained 



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