The Melodious Mockingbird’s Morning Herald

There cannot possibly be any more cheerful herald to a brand new day than the Mockingbird. The Mockingbird’s talented array of song notes is the best way to encourage you to get out of bed and jump right into your day! This incredible bird has an enormous musical repertoire to pull from. Not only do they mimic the songs of other neighboring birds, they will gladly adopt insect songs as well as the resounding car alarm. As the sun is gently beginning to shine it may sound as though a whole choir of birds are in your backyard when there will only be a solitary melodious Mockingbird full of joy and happiness to herald in the morning. What a magnificent little creature God created when He fashioned this little guy!

Mimic Thrush Family Of Birds

Mockingbirds are categorized as a Mimid, which is the Mimic Thrush family of birds. Three types of birds in this family that reside in the Eastern United States are the Northern Mockingbird, the Brown Thrush, the Gray Catbird. They are all beautiful songbirds to have around due to their ability to mimic other bird songs. The preferred is the Northern Mockingbird because their ability far exceeds their peers in composing complex musical phrases and notes. Mockingbirds sing in syllables of three or more. A Brown Thrush will in sing in groups of two and a Gray Catbird will in one. Both male and female mockingbirds sing. However, it is the amorous male that sings the grandest when courting a mate.

Woodland Edges

Mockingbirds prefer to reside by woodland edges close to a reliable food source. Brambly, brushy edges close to backyards are their preferred domains. It is here where they can find the grasshoppers, beetles, berries, and seeds that they thrive on. They are avid hunters. Mockingbirds utilize their wings by opening them to scare into flight insects thereby giving away their location. Tall hedges and landscaping brush can copy woodland perimeters. This brings mockingbirds in closer to urban settings providing all their needs are met. Mockingbirds are very courageous in protecting their nests and babies. They will attack larger birds of prey like hawks fearlessly if they come too close. Mockingbirds are also known to swoop down to deliver a swift hearty peck to the head or shoulders of humans threatening their nest too. They guard their woodland territories faithfully.

Symbolism For Mockingbirds

Mockingbirds are symbols of courage and fearlessness for protecting their family. Several states have adopted the Mockingbird for their state bird. Florida is one of the states that chose a Mockingbird. It is a blessing to be able to hear them sing. The Mockingbird is quickly connected to a famous literary title by Harper Lee. While there is not much literary association with the modern classic novel “To Kill A Mockingbird” in the story line, the Mockingbird holds quite a bit of symbolic weight to the book. The iconic songbird expresses the loss of innocence eradicated by evil symbolically and is famous for the following quote from the book:

"Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it is a sin to kill a mockingbird." Harper Lee 

Recap

Though the overall color of a Mockingbird is grayish brown and white it more than makes up for that with it’s melodious morning herald. These incredibly talented songbirds are known and thus named for mimicking neighboring birds, insects, and other commonplace sounds. They live on the edge of woodland areas where they can hunt insects and gather berries close by. This enables them to thrive. Having a happy mockingbird society close by brings many varied styles of arranged trills and warbling in the morning and throughout the day. In my final opinion, it would indeed be a grave mistake to kill any bird but especially a Mockingbird should one perchance find it’s way into your morning. The melodious Mockingbird’s morning herald is more than well worth a few scant bread crumbs.