Name: Mike Stewart Lower Hudson Valley, NY Zone 6b
Miss Mary,
Mockingbirds have lots of positive traits that characterize the good people of Tennessee - they're bold, persistent, and vocal (and I should know; I used to live in Memphis!)
I love the Northern Mockingbird. It's the state bird of Florida too! I guess it's a common bird in the continental U.S., and it's also the state bird of Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas. I've only noticed it being a territorial or a bully bird when it's protecting a nest area. They nest low in shrubbery around here and are very aggressive when anything or anyone gets near their nest site. Last year I cut up berries and raisins and put them in a shallow terra cotta tray on the brick wall in front of our house. There was a nest in a Hibiscus shrub in the front yard and it was fun watching the parents feeding their young. After the babies were flying they would land on the brick wall, sit right next to the tray with the berries and scream for the parents to feed them!
I think there's a nest in some shrubbery in one corner of our backyard right now because there's a Mocker who is chasing every other bird out of that area! I put raisins and berries in one of the feeders and the Mockingbirds love it. This is a picture I took a few days ago of one of them snatching a raisin from the feeder.
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