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76-644: The northern mockingbird ( Mimus polyglottos ) is a mockingbird commonly found in North America, of the family Mimidae . The species is also found in some parts of the Caribbean , as well as on the Hawaiian Islands . It is typically a permanent resident across much of its range, but northern mockingbirds may move farther south during inclement weather or prior to the onset of winter. The northern mockingbird has gray to brown upper feathers and

152-429: A bird's song repertoire size. A 2013 study attempted to determine model selection in vocal mimics, and the data suggested that mimicry in the mockingbird resulted from the bird being genetically predisposed to learning vocalizations with acoustic characteristics such as an enlarged auditory template. Both male and female mockingbirds sing, with the latter being generally quieter and less vocal. Male commencement of singing

228-406: A certain duration from their parents. The young have a survival bottleneck at the nestling stage because there are higher levels of nestling predation than egg predation . The levels of belligerence exhibited by parents therefore increase once eggs hatch but there is no increase during the egg stage. A recent study shows that both food availability and temperature affect the parental incubation of

304-590: A more regular bi-seasonal pattern. According to the Köppen climate classification system, the majority of the Sonoran Desert has a hot desert climate ( BWh ). Hot semi-arid climate ( BSh ) exists on some of the higher elevation mountains within the desert, as well as in a continuous swath on the eastern and northeastern fringes as elevations gradually rise toward the Madrean Sky Islands in

380-411: A nest later in the breeding season than from earlier in a breeding season. Early nesting hosts may not have learned the pattern and coloration of their first clutch yet, so are less likely to reject foreign eggs. There is also a seasonal threshold in terms of the overlap between the breeding seasons of the northern mockingbirds and their parasites. If the breeding season of the parasites starts later, there

456-416: A paler belly. Its tail and wings have white patches which are visible in flight. The species is known for its ability to mimic bird calls and other types of sound, including artificial and electronic noises. Studies have shown its ability to identify individual humans and treat them differently based on learned threat assessments. It is an omnivore and consumes fruit, invertebrates, and small vertebrates. It

532-474: A population close to 900,000. Ciudad Obregón, Sonora , in the southern part of the desert, has a population of 375,800. The Coachella Valley , located in the Colorado Desert section of the Sonoran Desert, has a population of 365,000. Several famous Southern California desert resort cities such as Palm Springs and Palm Desert are located here. During the winter months, from November to April,

608-461: A rural dwelling one shows that the apparent survival is higher for individuals in the urban habitats. Lower food availability and travel costs may account for the higher mortality rate in rural habitats. Urban birds are more likely to return to the nest where they had successfully bred the previous year and avoid those where breeding success was low. One explanation for this phenomenon is that urban environments are more predictable than non-urban ones, as

684-420: A species of thrush , Turdus polyglottos . Its current genus name, Mimus , is Latin for "mimic" and the specific polyglottos , is from Ancient Greek poluglottos , "harmonious", from polus , "many", and glossa , "tongue", representing its outstanding ability to mimic various sounds. The northern mockingbird is considered to be conspecific with the tropical mockingbird ( Mimus gilvus ). This species

760-626: A threat, mockingbirds will at times target humans. The birds are bold, and will attack much larger birds, even hawks. One incident in Tulsa, Oklahoma involving a postal carrier resulted in the distribution of a warning letter to residents. The northern mockingbird pairs hatch about two to four broods a year. In one breeding attempt, the northern mockingbird lays an average of four eggs. They are pale blue or greenish white with red or brown blotches, and measure about 25 by 18 millimetres (0.98 by 0.71 in). They hatch after about 11 to 14 days of incubation by

836-654: A total population of over 180,000 and has a similar climate to that of the Coachella Valley. Other cities include Borrego Springs , Indio , Coachella , Calexico , El Centro , Imperial , and Blythe . Straddling the Mexico–United States border , the Sonoran desert is an important migration corridor for humans and animals. The harsh climate conditions and border militarism mean that the journey can be perilous, usually moving at night to minimize exposure to

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912-415: A white or whitish-gray color. It has parallel wing bars on the half of the wings connected near the white patch giving it a distinctive appearance in flight. The black central rectrices and typical white lateral rectrices are also noticeable in flight. The iris is usually a light green-yellow or a yellow, but there have been instances of an orange color. The bill is black with a brownish black appearance at

988-475: Is a species that is found in both urban and rural habitats. There are now more northern mockingbirds living in urban habitats than non-urban environments, so they are consequently known as an urban-positive species. Biologists have long questioned how northern mockingbirds adapt to a novel environment in cities, and whether they fall into the typical ecological traps that are common for urban-dwelling birds. A comparative study between an urban dwelling population and

1064-458: Is a wooden northern mockingbird on a stick, which he refers to by the scientific name Mimus polyglottos . In 1951, Patti Page , a popular vocalist, recorded " Mockin' Bird Hill ", which was sold in 10" 78 RPM format. The song reached #2 on Billboard ' s pop music chart and reflected gentle postwar values of the period. The northern mockingbird is the state bird of Arkansas , Florida, Mississippi , Tennessee , and Texas , and previously

1140-799: Is bounded on the west by the Peninsular Ranges , which separate it from the California chaparral and woodlands (northwest) and Baja California desert (Vizcaíno subregion, central and southeast) ecoregions of the Pacific slope. The Gulf of California xeric scrub ecoregion lies south of the Sonoran desert on the Gulf of California slope of the Baja California Peninsula. To the north in California and northwest Arizona,

1216-485: Is categorized as the northern mockingbird as the closest living relative to M. gilvus . There are three recognized subspecies for the northern mockingbird. There have been proposed races from the Bahamas and Haiti placed under the orpheus section. The northern mockingbird is a medium-sized mimid that has long legs and tail. Males and females look alike. Its upper parts are colored gray, while its underparts have

1292-531: Is home to the cultures of over 17 contemporary Native American tribes, with settlements at American Indian reservations in California and Arizona , as well as populations in Mexico. The largest city in the Sonoran Desert is Phoenix, Arizona , with a 2017 metropolitan population of about 4.7 million. Located on the Salt River in central Arizona, it is one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in

1368-740: Is in late January to February and continues into the summer and the establishing of territory into the fall. Frequency in female singing is more sporadic, as it sings less often in the summer and fall, and only sings when the male is away from the territory. The mockingbird also possesses a large song repertoire that ranges from 43 to 203 song types and the size varies by region. Repertoire sizes ranged from 14 to 150 types in Texas, and two studies of mockingbirds in Florida rounded estimates to 134 and 200, approximately. It continually expands its repertoire during its life, though it pales in comparison to mimids such as

1444-524: Is less likelihood of parasitism. Hence, it pays the hosts to have relatively lower sensitivity to parasitic eggs. A laboratory observation of 38 mockingbird nestlings and fledglings (thirty-five and three, respectively) recorded the behavioral development of young mockingbirds. Notable milestones, including the eyes opening, soft vocalizations, begging, and preening, began within the first six days of life. Variation in begging and more compact movements such as perching, fear crouching, and stretching appeared by

1520-800: Is often found in open areas, open woodlands and forest edges, and is quite common in urbanized areas. The species breeds from southeastern Canada throughout the United States to the Greater Antilles . It is listed as a species of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature . The mockingbird is influential in United States culture, being the state bird of five states, appearing in book titles, songs and lullabies, and making other appearances in popular culture. Swedish zoologist Carl Linnaeus first described this species in his Systema Naturae in 1758 as

1596-639: Is the state bird of five states in the United States, a trend that was started in 1920, when the Texas Federation of Women's Clubs proposed the idea. In January 1927, Governor Dan Moody approved this, and Texas became the first state ever to choose a state bird. Since then, Arkansas , Florida , Mississippi , and Tennessee have also adopted the Northern Mockingbird as their official state bird. There are about 17 species in two genera , although three species of mockingbird from

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1672-439: Is therefore a bias for bearing the costlier sex at the beginning of a breeding season when the food is abundant. Local resource competition predicts that the parents have to share the resources with offspring that remain at the natal site after maturation. In passerine birds, like the northern mockingbird, females are more likely to disperse than males. Hence, it is adaptive to produce more dispersive sex than philopatric sex when

1748-582: The American robin . It imitates not only birds, but also other animals such as cats , dogs, frogs, and crickets and sounds from artificial items such as unoiled wheels and even car alarms. As convincing as these imitations may be to humans, they often fail to fool other birds, such as the Florida scrub jay . The northern mockingbird's mimicry is likely to serve as a form of sexual selection through which competition between males and female choice influence

1824-594: The Cayman Islands and Tahiti . The mockingbird's habitat varies by location, but it prefers open areas with sparse vegetation. In the eastern regions, suburban and urban areas such as parks and gardens are frequent residential areas. It has an affinity for mowed lawns with shrubs within proximity for shade and nesting. In western regions, desert scrub and chaparral are among its preferred habitats. When foraging for food, it prefers short grass. This bird does not nest in densely forested areas, and generally resides in

1900-751: The Galapagos ): Melanotis : When the survey voyage of HMS Beagle visited the Galápagos Islands in September to October 1835, the naturalist Charles Darwin noticed that the mockingbirds Mimus thenca differed from island to island, and were closely allied in appearance to mockingbirds on the South American mainland. Nearly a year later when writing up his notes on the return voyage he speculated that this, together with what he had been told about Galápagos tortoises , could undermine

1976-597: The Kofa National Wildlife Refuge . The Sonoran Desert is home to a wide variety of fauna that have adapted and thrive in the hot, arid desert environment, such as the Gila monster , bobcat , mule deer , antelope jackrabbit , burrowing owl , greater roadrunner , western diamondback rattlesnake , and elf owl . There are 350 bird species, 20 amphibian species, over 100 reptile species, 30 native fish species, and over 1000 native bee species found in

2052-415: The brown thrasher . There are four recognized calls for the mockingbird: the nest relief call , hew call , chat or chatburst , and the begging call . The hew call is mainly used by both sexes for potential nest predators, conspecific chasing, and various interactions between mates. One difference between chats and chatbursts is frequency of use, as chats are year-round and chatbursts occur in

2128-512: The wing chord is 10 to 12 cm (3.9 to 4.7 in), the tail is 10 to 13.4 cm (3.9 to 5.3 in), the culmen is 1.6 to 1.9 cm (0.63 to 0.75 in) and the tarsus is 2.9 to 3.4 cm (1.1 to 1.3 in). The northern mockingbird's lifespan is observed to be up to 8 years, but captive birds can live up to 20 years. The mockingbird's breeding range is from the Maritime provinces westwards to British Columbia, practically

2204-512: The Galápagos Islands were formerly separated into a third genus, Nesomimus . The mockingbirds do not appear to form a monophyletic lineage, as Mimus and Melanotis are not each other's closest relatives; instead, Melanotis appears to be more closely related to the catbirds , while the closest living relatives of Mimus appear to be thrashers , such as the sage thrasher . Mimus : Formerly Nesomimus (endemic to

2280-665: The Mojave's dry summers and cold winters). This creates an extreme contrast between aridity and moisture. The Sonoran desert wraps around the northern end of the Gulf of California , from Baja California Sur ( El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve in central and Pacific west coast, Central Gulf Coast subregion on east to southern tip), north through much of Baja California , excluding the central northwest mountains and Pacific west coast, through southeastern California and southwestern and southern Arizona to western and central parts of Sonora . It

2356-827: The Sonoran Desert to the tropical dry forests of the Mexican state of Sinaloa . The desert's sub-regions include the Colorado Desert of southeastern California; and the Yuma Desert east of the north-to-south section of the Colorado River in southwest Arizona. In the 1957 publication Vegetation of the Sonoran Desert , Forrest Shreve divided the Sonoran Desert into seven regions according to characteristic vegetation: Lower Colorado Valley, Arizona Upland, Plains of Sonora, Foothills of Sonora, Central Gulf Coast, Vizcaíno Region, and Magdalena Region. Many ecologists consider Shreve's Vizcaíno and Magdalena regions, which lie on

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2432-460: The Sonoran Desert transitions to the colder-winter, higher-elevation Mojave , Great Basin , and Colorado Plateau deserts. The coniferous Arizona Mountains forests are to the northeast. The Chihuahuan Desert and Sierra Madre Occidental pine–oak forests are at higher elevations to the east. To the south the Sonoran–Sinaloan transition subtropical dry forest is the transition zone from

2508-527: The Sonoran. The Sonoran Desert area southeast of Tucson and near the Mexican border is vital habitat for the only population of jaguars living within the United States. The Colorado River Delta was once an ecological hotspot within the Sonoran desert due to the Colorado river in this otherwise dry area, but the delta has been greatly reduced in extent due to damming and use of the river upstream. Species that have higher heat tolerance are able to thrive in

2584-484: The United States. In 2007 in the Phoenix area, desert was losing ground to urban sprawl at a rate of approximately 4,000 square meters (1 acre) per hour. The next largest cities are Tucson , in southern Arizona, with a metro area population of just over 1 million, and Mexicali, Baja California , with a similarly sized metropolitan population of around 1,000,000. The metropolitan area of Hermosillo, Sonora , has

2660-505: The ability of some species to identify individual humans and treat them differently based on learned threat assessments. The only mockingbird commonly found in North America is the northern mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) . The Greek word πολύγλωττος  : polyglottos means 'multiple languages'. Mockingbirds are known for singing late at night, even past midnight. They are opportunistic omnivores, feeding on insects, fruits, seeds, and occasional greens. The northern mockingbird

2736-431: The area either to showcase their territory to the females or to pursue the females. The males also engage in flight to showcase their wings. They sing and call as they perform all of these displays. The species can remain monogamous for many years, but incidents of polygyny and bigamy have been reported to occur during a single bird's lifetime. Both the male and female are involved in the nest building. The male does most of

2812-462: The base. The juvenile appearance is marked by its streaks on its back, distinguished spots and streaks on its chest, and a gray or grayish-green iris. Northern mockingbirds measure from 20.5 to 28 cm (8.1 to 11.0 in) including a tail almost as long as its body. The wingspan can range from 31–38 cm (12–15 in) and body mass is from 40–58 g (1.4–2.0 oz). Males tend to be slightly larger than females. Among standard measurements,

2888-637: The biosphere reserve is Puerto Peñasco ('Rocky Point') in the state of Sonora, Mexico . Sonoran Desert sub-regions include: The Sonoran desert has an arid subtropical climate and is considered to be the most tropical desert in North America . In the lower-elevation portions of the desert, temperatures are warm year-round, and rainfall is infrequent and irregular, often less than 90 mm (approx. 3.5") annually. The Arizona uplands are also warm year-round, but they receive 100–300 mm (approx. 4–12") of average annual rainfall, which falls in

2964-421: The conditions of the Sonoran Desert. One such insect species that has evolved a means to thrive in this environment is Drosophila mettleri , a Sonoran Desert fly. This fly contains a specialized P450 detoxification system that enables it to nest in the cool region of exudate moistened soil. Thus, the fly is one of few that can tolerate the high desert temperatures and successfully reproduce. The Sonoran Desert

3040-584: The cuts on recently pruned trees. Its diet heavily consists of animal prey during the breeding season, but takes a drastic shift to fruits during the fall and winter. The drive for fruits amid winter has been noted for the geographic expansion of the mockingbird, and in particular, the fruit of Rosa multiflora , a favorite of the birds, is a possible link. Mockingbirds also eat garden fruits such as tomatoes, apples, and berries (like blackberries, raspberries, other bramble fruits, holly berries, mulberries, and dogwood), as well as grapes and figs. These birds forage on

3116-441: The daytime temperatures in the Coachella Valley range from 70 °F (21 °C) to 90 °F (32 °C) and corresponding nighttime lows range from 46 °F (8 °C) to 68 °F (20 °C) making it a popular winter resort destination. Due to its warm year-round climate citrus and subtropical fruits such as mangoes, figs, and dates are grown in the Coachella Valley and adjacent Imperial Valley . The Imperial Valley has

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3192-521: The desert subdivisions found on Baja California, cardon cactus, elephant tree, and boojum tree occur. The California fan palm ( Washingtonia filifera ) is found in the Colorado Desert section of the Sonoran Desert, the only native palm in California, among many other introduced Arecaceae genera and species. It is found at spring -fed oases , such as in Anza Borrego Desert State Park , Joshua Tree National Park , and

3268-529: The doctrine of stability of species. This was his first recorded expression of doubts about species being immutable , which led to his being convinced about the transmutation of species and hence evolution . Sonoran Desert In phytogeography , the Sonoran Desert is within the Sonoran floristic province of the Madrean Region of southwestern North America, part of the Holarctic realm of

3344-544: The east and the Mogollon Rim in the northeast. There are also a few small areas of cold semi-arid climate ( BSk ) and even hot-summer Mediterranean climate ("Csa") on only the highest mountain peaks within the region. Many plants not only survive, but thrive in the harsh conditions of the Sonoran Desert. Many have evolved specialized adaptations to the desert climate. The Sonoran Desert's bi-seasonal rainfall pattern results in more plant species than any other desert in

3420-439: The eggs are hatched, both the male and female will feed the chicks. The birds aggressively defend their nests and surrounding areas against other birds and animals. When a predator is persistent, mockingbirds from neighboring territories may be summoned by distinct calls to join the defense. Other birds may gather to watch as the mockingbirds drive away the intruder. In addition to harassing domestic cats and dogs that they consider

3496-574: The eggs in northern mockingbirds. Increasing food availability provides the females with more time to care for the nest and perform self-maintenance. Increasing temperature, however, reduces the time the females spend at the nest and there is increased energy cost to cool the eggs. The incubation behavior is a trade-off among various environmental factors. Mockingbird nests are also often parasitized by cowbirds . The parents are found to reject parasitic eggs at an intermediate rate. A recent study has shown that foreign eggs are more likely to be rejected from

3572-494: The entire continental United States south of the northern Plains states and Pacific Northwest , the Greater Antilles , and the majority of Mexico to eastern Oaxaca and Veracruz . The mockingbird is generally a year-round resident of its range, but the birds that live in the northern portion of its range have been noted farther south during the winter season. Sightings of the mockingbird have also been recorded in Hawaii (where it

3648-582: The expansion of mockingbirds in their range. The storms have played a role in the declining of the populations in Ohio (where it has since recovered), Michigan, Minnesota and likely in Quebec. Dry seasons also affect the mockingbird populations in Arizona. In a paper published in 2009, researchers found that mockingbirds were able to recall an individual human who, earlier in the study, had approached and threatened

3724-860: The fall. Another difference is that chatbursts appear to be used in territorial defense in the fall and chats are used by either sex when disturbed. The nest relief and begging calls are only used by the males. Adult mockingbirds can fall victim to birds of prey such as the great horned owl , screech owl and sharp-shinned hawk , though their tenacious behavior makes them less likely to be captured. Scrub jays also have killed and eaten mockingbirds. Snakes rarely capture incubating females. Fledglings have been prey to domestic cats, red-tailed hawks , and crows. Eggs and nestlings are consumed by blue jays, fish crows , American crows, red-tailed hawks, swallow-tailed kites , snakes, squirrels, and cats. Blowfly larvae and Haemoproteus have been found in Florida and Arizona populations, respectively. Winter storms limit

3800-464: The female is continuously evaluating the quality of the male and his territory. The assessment is usually triggered by the arrival of a new male in a neighboring territory at the beginning of a new breeding season. In those cases, the mated female is constantly seen flying over both the original and the new male's territory, evaluating the qualities of both territories and exchanging calls with both males. The social mate displays aggressive behaviors towards

3876-470: The female, while the new male shows less aggression and sings softer songs. At the same time, both the mated male and the new male will fly over other territories to attract other females as well. Separation, mate switching and extra-pair matings do occur in northern mockingbirds. Northern mockingbirds adjust the sex ratio of their offspring according to the food availability and population density. Male offspring usually require more parental investment. There

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3952-481: The female. After about 10 to 15 days of life, the offspring become independent. Northern mockingbirds are famous for their song repertoires. Studies have shown that males sing songs at the beginning of breeding season to attract females. Unmated males sing songs in more directions and sing more bouts than mated males. In addition, unmated males perform more flight displays than mated males. The mockingbirds usually nest several times during one breeding season. Depending on

4028-431: The female. Mutual mate choice is exhibited in northern mockingbirds. Both males and females prefer mates that are more aggressive towards intruders, and so exhibit greater parental investment . However, males are more defensive of their nests than females. In a population where male breeding adults outnumber female breeding adults, females have more freedom in choosing their mates. In these cases, these female breeders have

4104-464: The ground or in vegetation; they also fly down from a perch to capture food. While foraging, they frequently spread their wings in a peculiar two-step motion to display the white patches. There is disagreement among ornithologists over the purpose of this behavior, with hypotheses ranging from deceleration to intimidation of predators or prey. Both the male and female of the species reach sexual maturity after one year of life. The breeding season occurs in

4180-474: The mockingbirds' nest. Researchers had one participant stand near a mockingbird nest and touch it, while others avoided the nest. Later, the mockingbirds recognized the intruder and exhibited defensive behavior, while ignoring the other individuals. A similar paper published in 2023 had several participants exhibit varying levels of threatening behavior towards nesting mockingbirds. During a three-day training period, "high threat" participants were instructed to touch

4256-422: The nest daily while accompanied by a "medium threat" participant who stood three meters away. "Low threat" participants approached the nest separately and also stood three meters away for 10 minutes. When flushed from their nests by participants during a testing period, the mockingbirds retreated further from individuals who had exhibited more threatening behavior during the training period. The northern mockingbird

4332-415: The ninth day. Wing-flashing, bathing, flight, and leaving the nest happened within seventeen days (nest leaving occurred within 11 to 13 days). Improvements of flight, walking and self-feeding took place within forty days. Agonistic behavior increased during the juvenile stages, to the extent that one of two siblings living in the same area was likely killed by the other. Although many species of bird imitate

4408-493: The northern Western Hemisphere . The desert contains a variety of unique endemic plants and animals , notably, the saguaro ( Carnegiea gigantea ) and organ pipe cactus ( Stenocereus thurberi ). The Sonoran Desert is clearly distinct from nearby deserts (e.g., the Great Basin , Mojave , and Chihuahuan deserts ) because it provides subtropical warmth in winter and two seasons of rainfall (in contrast, for example, to

4484-464: The option of changing mates within a breeding season if the first male does not provide a high level of parental care, which includes feeding and nest defense. High nesting success is associated with highly aggressive males attacking intruders in the territory, and so these males are preferred by females. Northern mockingbirds are altricial , meaning that, when hatched, they are born relatively immobile and defenseless and therefore require nourishment for

4560-408: The population density is high and the competition for local resources is intense. Since northern mockingbirds are abundant in urban environments, it is possible that the pollution and contamination in cities might affect sexual hormones and therefore play a role in offspring sex ratio . Northern mockingbirds are socially monogamous . The sexes look alike except that the male is slightly larger than

4636-488: The same habitats year round. The northern mockingbird is an omnivore . The birds' diet consists of arthropods (such as spiders, grasshoppers, wasps, bees, ants, beetles, butterflies, and caterpillars), earthworms , berries, fruits, seeds, and occasionally flowers, small crustaceans , and lizards ( Anolis spp.). Mockingbirds can drink from puddles, river and lake edges, or dew and rain droplets that amass onto plants. Adult mockingbirds also have been seen drinking sap from

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4712-537: The series as a rebellious symbol. The traditional lullaby " Hush Little Baby " has a line that goes "Papa's gonna buy you a mockingbird". The song of the northern mockingbird inspired many American folk songs of the mid-19th century, such as " Listen to the Mocking Bird ". Thomas Jefferson had several pet mockingbirds, including a bird named "Dick" . In the fictional Neighborhood of Make-Believe on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood , one of King Friday's "pets"

4788-551: The sightings were sporadic. Within the first five decades of the 20th century, regions that received an influx of mockingbirds were Maine, Vermont, Ohio, Iowa, and New York. In western states such as California, the population was restricted to the Lower Sonoran Desert regions but by the 1970s the mockingbird was residential in most counties. Islands that saw introductions of the mockingbird include Bermuda (in which it failed), Barbados , St. Helena , Socorro Island ,

4864-530: The site fidelity among urban birds prevents them from falling into ecological traps. Mockingbirds are also able to utilize artificial lighting in order to feed nestlings in urban areas such as residential neighborhoods into the night, in contrast to those that do not nest near those areas. The adaptation of the mockingbird in urban habitats has led it to become more susceptible to lead poisoning in Baltimore and Washington, D.C. populations. This bird features in

4940-401: The species and seasonal temperatures. Creosote bush ( Larrea tridentata ) and bur sage ( Ambrosia dumosa ) dominate valley floors. Indigo bush ( Psorothamnus fremontii ) and Mormon tea are other shrubs that may be found. Wildflowers of the Sonoran Desert include desert sand verbena ( Abronia villosa ), desert sunflower ( Geraea canescens ), and evening primroses . Ascending from

5016-413: The spring and early summer. The males arrive before the beginning of the season to establish their territories. They may demonstrate or contest the edges of a territory using a boundary dance in which males, typically on the ground, face each other and hop side to side, sometimes fighting, until one flies away. The males use a series of courtship displays to attract the females to their sites. They run around

5092-517: The stage of breeding and the mating status, a male mockingbird will vary his song production. The unmated male keeps close track of this change. He sings in one direction when he perceives a chance to lure a female from the nest of the mated male. Unmated males are also more likely to use elevated perches to make their songs audible farther away. Though the mockingbirds are socially monogamous , mated males have been known to sing to attract additional mates. An observational study by Logan demonstrates that

5168-434: The state bird of South Carolina . Mockingbird Melanotis Mimus Mockingbirds are a group of New World passerine birds from the family Mimidae . They are best known for the habit of some species mimicking the songs of other birds and the sounds of insects and amphibians, often loudly and in rapid succession and for being extremely territorial when raising hatchlings. Studies have shown

5244-674: The title and central metaphor of the 1960 novel To Kill a Mockingbird , by Harper Lee . In that novel, mockingbirds are portrayed as innocent and generous, and two of the major characters, Atticus Finch and Miss Maudie, say it is a sin to kill a mockingbird because "they don't do one thing for us but make music for us to enjoy. They don't eat up people's gardens, don't nest in corncribs , they don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us." The Hunger Games franchise depicts "mockingjays," mockingbirds hybridized with jabberjays, genetically engineered birds which could memorize and repeat entire human conversations. These birds appear throughout

5320-457: The valley up bajadas , various subtrees such as velvet mesquite ( Prosopis velutina ), palo verde ( Parkinsonia florida ), desert ironwood ( Olneya tesota ), desert willow ( Chilopsis linearis ssp. arcuata ), and crucifixion thorn ( Canotia holacantha ) are common, as well as multi-stemmed ocotillo ( Fouquieria splendens ). Shrubs found at higher elevations include whitethorn acacia ( Acacia constricta ), fairy duster, and jojoba . In

5396-500: The vocalizations of other birds, the northern mockingbird is the species best known in North America for doing so. Among the vocalizations it imitates are songs of the Carolina wren , northern cardinal , tufted titmouse , eastern towhee , house sparrow , wood thrush , and eastern bluebird , calls of the northern flicker and great crested flycatcher , jeers and pumphandles of the blue jay , and alarms, chups , and chirrs of

5472-726: The western side of the Baja California Peninsula , to be a separate ecoregion , the Baja California desert . Within the southern Sonoran Desert in Mexico is found the Gran Desierto de Altar , with the El Pinacate y Gran Desierto de Altar Biosphere Reserve , encompassing 2,000 square kilometres (770 sq mi) of desert and mountainous regions. The biosphere reserve includes the only active erg dune region in North America. The nearest city to

5548-492: The wild. Cholla ( Cylindropuntia spp.), beavertail ( Opuntia basilaris ), hedgehog ( Echinocereus spp.), fishhook ( Ferocactus wislizeni ), prickly pear ( Opuntia spp.), nightblooming cereus ( Peniocereus spp.), and organ pipe ( Stenocereus thurberi ) are other taxa of cacti found here. Cacti provide food and homes to many desert mammals and birds, with showy flowers in reds, pinks, yellows, and whites, blooming most commonly from late March through June, depending on

5624-465: The work, while the female perches on the shrub or tree where the nest is being built to watch for predators. The nest is built approximately three to ten feet above the ground. The outer part of the nest is composed of twigs, while the inner part is lined with grasses, dead leaves, moss, or artificial fibers. The eggs are a light blue or greenish color and speckled with dots. The female lays three to five eggs, and she incubates them for nearly two weeks. Once

5700-453: The world. The Sonoran Desert includes plant genera and species from the agave family, palm family, cactus family, legume family, and numerous others. Many of these adaptations occur in food crops. Mission Garden is a living agricultural museum that showcases foods that have been grown in the Sonoran Desert for over 4000 years. The Sonoran is the only place in the world where the famous saguaro cactus ( Carnegiea gigantea ) grows in

5776-647: Was introduced in the 1920s), southeastern Alaska, and three times as transatlantic vagrants in Britain, most recently in Exmouth, Devon, UK in February and March 2021. The mockingbird is thought to be at least partly migratory in the northern portions of its range, but the migratory behavior is not well understood. In the 19th century, the range of the mockingbird expanded northward towards provinces such as Nova Scotia and Ontario and states such as Massachusetts, although

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