I grew up in the DFW area in Texas from the age of six until I was out of college. I was aware of birds, but I really didn’t pay attention to them. I was keen on words, however, and the word Mockingbird was all around me. There was an elementary school in my town, a book I needed to read for school, songs on the radio, and to me it seemed like Mockingbirds were very popular. I don’t ever remember seeing one though.

Thinking about my childhood thoughts, it made me laugh when I read Peter conversing with Mocker,

‘Somebody told me once that down in the south you are the best loved of all the birds. Is that so?’

‘That’s not for me to say,’ replied Mocker modestly. ‘But I can tell you this, Peter, they do think a lot of me down there. There are many birds down there who are very beautiful dressed, birds who don’t come up here at all. But not one of them is loved as I am, and it is all on account of my voice. I would rather have a beautiful voice than a fine coat.’

Burgess, Thornton W., The Burgess Bird Book for Children, Living Books Press, p. 154.

Now I know why it was such a popular word. Thank you Burgess!

A few years ago, we went to San Antonio for my husband’s job and to show the kids all the sights, sounds, and tastes there. Guess what I saw for what I can remember as the first time? You guessed it: Mocker, the Northern Mockingbird. He even posed for me in the San Antonio Botanical Garden, which I really recommend visiting.

Mockingbirds are from the Mimidae family and so they love to mimic other bird calls. The name is fitting because they are also territorial and so as allaboutbirds.org includes, “they flagrantly harass birds that intrude on their territories, flying slowly around them, legs extended, flaunting their bright white wing patches” (source).

Here is the rest of what we gathered about Mocker:

Until next time, keep birding! <3 Kate

For more, check out: The Burgess Bird Book Pages and Burgess Birds in Detail.

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