I am listening to a mockingbird, which along with baseball, is the true harbinger of an imminent spring. I have loved and been fascinated by mockingbirds all my life. They are at once lovely and feisty; mysterious and comforting. They are found virtually everywhere in the U.S, and into Canada. It is the state bird of three states, including Florida. 

The story you are told as a child, and indeed, the story you read if you research, is that the marvelous rhapsody you hear from this bird are imitations of other birds this individual has heard.  Those who know say a mockingbird can have a repertoire of 50 to 200 different calls.  All learned through imitation of other birds?  I say Horse Hockey!

I’ve listened to a lot of mockingbirds, and I’ve thought about this a lot, (apparently I’ve too much time on my hands,) and it just doesn’t add up.  First off, mockingbirds are very territorial, meaning they not only vigorously defend the area in which they live, they don’t venture very far from the tree or bush they call home.  Sit and listen to a mockingbird over a half-hour or so.  You’ll hear more individual calls than you can count, many only a few notes, but individual nevertheless.  Now ask yourself, how many of those calls have you heard any other bird utter? Two, three, four, maybe? Well, they learned them somewhere else, you say.  No good.  A mockingbird would have to travel thousands of miles to hear all the songs he sings.  I already told you they don’t roam far. So where’d they hear all these songs they are supposedly imitating?

Truth is they don’t.  My theory–stay with me here– is that they’re making it all up as they go along.  It is a spontaneous expression, perhaps among the most beautiful in nature. It is the male doing most of this singing, and the theory goes he is doing it to attract a mate, and I can go along with that to some extent.  But they keep doing it, even after mating and building a nest. (Both males and females then tend the nest.) He just keeps on singing, sometimes straight through the night, if a moon is out.  So do the females. What does that tell you?

Now, I’m not saying a mockingbird sings for joy; I won’t go that far. But it is a spontaneous expression of their nature, and it is certainly joyful.  It’s also physically impossible they’re imitating all that many other birds.  Trust me on that.  I’ve devoted years to these findings.