Study: Don't Mess With Mockingbirds

Mockingbirds

I have adored mockingbirds all of my life. I am impressed with how brave they are in fending off threats to their young, including fearlessly going after hawks, other birds of prey and cats that come near the nest. Their beautiful, melodic songs are so pleasant to wake up to in the morning.

I am not surprised by the findings highlighted in this article.

Rosemary of CA @ May 20, 2009 18:10:00 PM

Study: Don't Mess With Mockingbirds

Regarding the Mocking Birds ability to recognise individual humans.

I can offer far more compelling evidence of this ability from the Australian

Magpie.

Some years ago I fed young magpies pieces of cheese and they became quite

daring, taking the cheese from my hand. I noticed at the time they would

come and beg when they saw me outside. However I left that property and

visited more than a year later and was enjoying a meal with the owners of

the property on the patio, under an awning. One of the magpies, and a very

young bird, clearly its offspring, arrived, standing immediately behind my

chair, asking for a handout. It accepted food from my hand.

The magpies had not frequented the property in my absence, and the owners

discouraged them when I was there, as they foul the concrete surface of the

patio.

What was impressive is that this bird not only could recognise me as an

individual, but could still recognise me, as such, more than a year after

their last seeing me.

Should you wish to confirm this event, I will be happy to provide contact

details for the owners.

Yours faithfully

Max Wood

Max Wood @ May 19, 2009 17:31:55 PM

Mocking Bird

The mocking Bird is the state bird of Texas, where we live. We respect this bird as we do the Blue Bonnet (state flower). They're pretty, a delight to hear, and SMART. Read about them in a bird book.

Meg of TX @ May 19, 2009 14:57:42 PM

Don't Mess With Mockingbirds

The person with the comment about the police is ridiculous. All of gods creatures are equiped with an ability to tell the difference between good and bad. Someone or something that may be a threat or not to thier young. That is how they have survived since God created them.Most are more intelligent than the person making fun of the research.

Rita Shea of MS @ May 19, 2009 14:31:15 PM