Home/Species/ Northern Mockingbird

Mimus polyglottos

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Northern Mockingbird

G5Secure Found in 113 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →

G5SecureGlobal Rank

Least concernIUCN

Identity

Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.100932

Element CodeABPBK03010

Record TypeSPECIES

ClassificationSpecies

Classification StatusStandard

Name CategoryVertebrate Animal

IUCNLeast concern

Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations

KingdomAnimalia

PhylumCraniata

ClassAves

OrderPasseriformes

FamilyMimidae

GenusMimus

Other Common Names

Centzontle Norteño (ES) Moqueur polyglotte (FR)

Concept Reference

American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1998. Check-list of North American birds. Seventh edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. [as modified by subsequent supplements and corrections published in The Auk]. Also available online: http://www.aou.org/.

Taxonomic Comments

Hybridizes with and considered conspecific with M. gilvus by some authors (AOU 1998). Phillips (1986) recognized the Saint Andrews Island population (formerly M. gilvus) as a distinct species, M. magnirostris. Placed in Sturnidae in Sibley and Ahlquist (1984).

Conservation Status

Rank MethodExpertise without calculation

Review Date2016-04-09

Change Date1996-12-03

Range Extent Comments

Resident regularly from northern California and eastern Oregon to South Dakota, northern Ohio, and southern New England (sporatically or locally north to southern Canada), south to southern Baja California, southern Mexico, Gulf Coast, southern Florida, and western West Indies (including Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands). First known successful nesting in British Columbia occurred in 1993 (MacKenzie et al. 1995, Canadian Field-Naturalist 109:260). Introduced and established in Hawaii, Bermuda.

Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Various open and partly open situations from areas of scattered brush or trees to forest edge and semi-desert (absent in forest interior), especially in scrub, thickets, gardens, towns, and around cultivated areas (AOU 1983). Nests in dense shrubbery, tree branches, vines, cholla, prickly pear, sagebrush, usually 1-3 m above ground, often near houses (Harrison 1979).

Reproduction

Clutch size 3-6 (usually 4-5). Two to 3 broods per year. Incubation 11-17 days, by female. Young tended by both parents, leave nest at 10-24 days (usually < 2 weeks). May retain same mate through successive nesting attempts in single season and through successive years. Sometimes polygynous.

Terrestrial Habitats

Shrubland/chaparralSavannaOld fieldCropland/hedgerowSuburban/orchard

Palustrine Habitats

Riparian

Other Nations (2)

United StatesN5

Province	Rank	Native
Illinois	S5	Yes
Connecticut	S4	Yes
Pennsylvania	S5B	Yes
Alabama	S5	Yes
Utah	S4B,S3N	Yes
Missouri	SNR	Yes
Florida	S4	Yes
South Carolina	S5	Yes
California	SNR	Yes
New Mexico	S5B,S5N	Yes
Nevada	S5	Yes
New York	S5B	Yes
Montana	SUB	Yes
Nebraska	S4	Yes
Arkansas	S5	Yes
South Dakota	S1B	Yes
Wisconsin	SNA	Yes
North Carolina	S5	Yes
Mississippi	S5B,S5N	Yes
Michigan	S3	Yes
Indiana	S4B	Yes
Vermont	S4B,SNAN	Yes
District of Columbia	S5	Yes
New Hampshire	S5	Yes
Arizona	S5	Yes
Rhode Island	S5B	Yes
Colorado	S5	Yes
Kansas	S5	Yes
Oklahoma	SNR	Yes
Virginia	S5	Yes
Kentucky	S5	Yes
New Jersey	S5B,S5N	Yes
Georgia	S5	Yes
Maryland	S5	Yes
Louisiana	S5	Yes
Iowa	S3B	Yes
Texas	S5B	Yes
Minnesota	SNA	Yes
North Dakota	SU	Yes
Idaho	S3B	Yes
Navajo Nation	S5B,S2N	Yes
Massachusetts	S5	Yes
Oregon	S4	Yes
Maine	S5B,S5N	Yes
Ohio	S5	Yes
Tennessee	S5	Yes
West Virginia	S5B,S5N	Yes
Wyoming	S3B	Yes
Delaware	S5	Yes

CanadaN4B,N4N

Province	Rank	Native
Nova Scotia	S1B	Yes
Manitoba	S2	Yes
Island of Newfoundland	SU	Yes
Saskatchewan	SUB	Yes
New Brunswick	S2B	Yes
Alberta	SU	Yes
Prince Edward Island	S1B	Yes
British Columbia	SNRN	Yes
Ontario	S4	Yes
Quebec	S4B	Yes

Roadless Areas (113)

Alabama (1)

Area	Forest	Acres
Blue Mountain	Talladega National Forest	4,986

Arizona (17)

Area	Forest	Acres
Boulder	Tonto National Forest	40,359
Burro Canyon	Kaibab National Forest	19,928
Butterfly Roadless Area	Coronado National Forest	42,296
Catalina St. Pk. Roadless Area	Coronado National Forest	951
Chiricahua	Coronado National Forest	76,876
Goldfield	Tonto National Forest	15,257
Lime Creek	Tonto National Forest	42,568
Lower San Francisco	Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests	59,310
Mazatzal	Tonto National Forest	16,942
Middle Dragoon Roadless	Coronado National Forest	10,543
Middle Romero WSR	Coronado National Forest	60
Oracle Roadless	Coronado National Forest	22,365
Pinaleno	Coronado National Forest	130,920
Salome	Tonto National Forest	2,932
Tumacacori	Coronado National Forest	44,594
Upper Romero Wsr	Coronado National Forest	150
Whetstone	Coronado National Forest	20,728

Arkansas (1)

Area	Forest	Acres
Bear Mountain	Ouachita National Forest	1,910

California (45)

Area	Forest	Acres
Antimony	Los Padres National Forest	40,911
Birch Creek	Inyo National Forest	28,816
Cajon	San Bernardino National Forest	7,548
Callahan Flow	Modoc National Forest	6,618
Camuesa	Los Padres National Forest	8,209
Channell	Sequoia National Forest	45,429
Chico	Sequoia National Forest	39,836
City Creek	San Bernardino National Forest	9,997
Coldwater	Cleveland National Forest	8,402
Crystal Creek	San Bernardino National Forest	6,783
Cucamonga A	Angeles National Forest	1,249
Cucamonga B	San Bernardino National Forest	11,933
Cucamonga C	San Bernardino National Forest	4,106
Cuyama	Los Padres National Forest	19,631
Dry Lakes	Los Padres National Forest	17,043
Fish Canyon	Angeles National Forest	29,886
Fox Mountain	Los Padres National Forest	52,072
Ishi	Lassen National Forest	21,805
Ladd	Cleveland National Forest	5,300
Magic Mountain	Angeles National Forest	15,542
Malduce Buckhorn	Los Padres National Forest	14,177
Matilija	Los Padres National Forest	5,218
Mill Peak	San Bernardino National Forest	7,884
Mystic (CA)	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	836
Nordhoff	Los Padres National Forest	12,031
Pleasant View	Angeles National Forest	26,395
Pyramid Peak B	San Bernardino National Forest	7,194
Raywood Flat B	San Bernardino National Forest	11,373
Red Mountain	Angeles National Forest	8,034
San Dimas	Angeles National Forest	7,160
San Sevaine	San Bernardino National Forest	6,866
Santa Cruz	Los Padres National Forest	21,182
Sespe - Frazier	Angeles National Forest	4,254
Sespe - Frazier	Los Padres National Forest	106,910
Sheep Mountain	Angeles National Forest	21,098
Solider	Six Rivers National Forest	14,918
Strawberry Peak	Angeles National Forest	7,245
Table Mtn.	Inyo National Forest	4,215
Tequepis	Los Padres National Forest	9,080
Trabuco	Cleveland National Forest	23,341
Tule	Angeles National Forest	9,861
Westfork	Angeles National Forest	4,407
White Ledge	Los Padres National Forest	18,632
Wildhorse	Cleveland National Forest	1,483
Woolstaff	Sequoia National Forest	41,445

Florida (2)

Area	Forest	Acres
Alexander Springs Creek	Ocala National Forest	2,954
Farles Prairie	Ocala National Forest	1,901

Georgia (1)

Area	Forest	Acres
Rocky Mountain	Chattahoochee National Forest	4,269

Idaho (1)

Area	Forest	Acres
Bear Creek	Caribou-Targhee National Forest	118,582

Nevada (9)

Area	Forest	Acres
Bald Mtn.	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	41,598
Charleston - Macks Cyn	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	11,378
Georges Canyon	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	108,551
Moriah - Silver Creek	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	1,582
Mystic (NV)	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	5,644
Quinn	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	62,459
Rose - Big Meadows	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	311
Rose - Davis Mdw.	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	2,361
Warm Springs	Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest	29,540

New Mexico (9)

Area	Forest	Acres
Capitan Mountains	Lincoln National Forest	14,069
Chama WS River	Santa Fe National Forest	4,168
Devils Creek	Gila National Forest	89,916
Gallinas	Santa Fe National Forest	13,208
Lower San Francisco	Gila National Forest	26,460
Ortega Peak	Lincoln National Forest	11,545
Peloncillo (NM)	Coronado National Forest	43,339
South Guadalupe Mountains	Lincoln National Forest	20,930
West Face Sacramento Mountains	Lincoln National Forest	41,176

North Carolina (7)

Area	Forest	Acres
Catfish Lake North	Croatan National Forest	11,299
Laurel Mountain	Pisgah National Forest	5,683
Pond Pine B	Croatan National Forest	2,961
Sam Knob (addition)	Pisgah National Forest	2,576
Snowbird	Nantahala National Forest	8,489
Tusquitee Bald	Nantahala National Forest	13,670
Woods Mountain	Pisgah National Forest	9,602

Puerto Rico (2)

Area	Forest	Acres
El Toro Area	Caribbean National Forest	12,584
Mameyes Area	Caribbean National Forest	11,150

South Dakota (1)

Area	Forest	Acres
Indian Creek	Buffalo Gap National Grassland	24,666

Tennessee (2)

Area	Forest	Acres
Devil's Backbone	Cherokee National Forest	4,287
Flint Mill Gap	Cherokee National Forest	9,494

Texas (2)

Area	Forest	Acres
Big Creek	National Forests in Texas	1,447
Little Lake Creek	National Forests in Texas	596

Utah (4)

Area	Forest	Acres
418025	Uinta National Forest	32,698
Boulder Mtn. / Boulder Top / Deer Lake	Dixie National Forest	110,690
Capital Reef	Dixie National Forest	763
Pine Valley Mountains	Dixie National Forest	57,673

Virginia (9)

Area	Forest	Acres
Adams Peak	George Washington National Forest	7,135
Bear Creek	Jefferson National Forest	18,274
Brush Mountain	Jefferson National Forest	6,002
Crawford Mountain	George Washington National Forest	9,892
Kelley Mountain	George Washington National Forest	7,590
North Mountain	Jefferson National Forest	8,377
Northern Massanutten	George Washington National Forest	9,444
Raccoon Branch	Jefferson National Forest	4,388
Southern Massanutten	George Washington National Forest	11,985

References (25)

American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1983. Check-list of North American Birds, 6th edition. Allen Press, Inc., Lawrence, Kansas. 877 pp.
American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1998. Check-list of North American birds. Seventh edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. [as modified by subsequent supplements and corrections published in The Auk]. Also available online: http://www.aou.org/.
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Doughty, R. W. 1988. The mockingbird. Univ. Texas Press, Austin. 80 pp.
Droege, S., and J.R. Sauer. 1990. North American Breeding Bird Survey, annual summary, 1989. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Biological Report 90(8). 22 pp.
Harrison, C. 1978. A Field Guide to the Nests, Eggs and Nestlings of North American Birds. Collins, Cleveland, Ohio.
Harrison, H. H. 1979. A field guide to western birds' nests. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston. 279 pp.
Horn, H. S. 1968. The adaptive significance of colonial nesting in the Brewer's Blackbird. Ecology 49:682-694.
Howell, S. N. G., and S. Webb. 1995. A guide to the birds of Mexico and northern Central America. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK.
Ligon, J. D. 1971. Late summer-autumnal breeding of the piñon jay in New Mexico. Condor 73:147-153.
Moore, W. S., and R. A. Dolbeer. 1989. The use of banding recovery data to estimate dispersal rates and gene flow in avian species: case studies in the Red-winged Blackbird and Common Grackle. Condor 91:242-253.
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Phillips, A. R. 1986. The known birds of North and Middle America: distribution and variations, migrations, changes, hybrids, etc. Part I, Hirundinidae to Mimidae, Certhiidae. Published by the author, Denver, Colorado. lxi + 259 pp.
Pitmann, R. L. and L. T. Ballance. 2002. The changing status of marine birds breeding at San Benedicto Island, Mexico. Wilson Bulletin 114:11-19.
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Raffaele, H. A. 1983a. A guide to the birds of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Fondo Educativo Interamericano, San Juan, Puerto Rico. 255 pp.
Raffaele, H., J. Wiley, O. Garrido, A. Keith, and J. Raffaele. 1998. A guide to the birds of the West Indies. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ. 511 pp.
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Terres, J. K. 1980. The Audubon Society encyclopedia of North American birds. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
Thompson, F. R., III. 1994. Temporal and spatial patterns of breeding brown-headed cowbirds in the midwestern United States. Auk 111:979-990.
Williams, L. 1952b. Breeding behavior of the Brewer blackbird. Condor 54:3-47.
Willson, M. F. 1966. Breeding ecology of the Yellow-headed Blackbird. Ecological Monographs 36:51-77.