A group of women is responsible for Texas naming the northern mockingbird its state bird.
It happened in November 1926, when the 50,000-member Texas Federation of Women’s Clubs named the bird to represent Texas. The Texas legislature agreed with the women and passed a unanimous resolution declaring that the mockingbird “is found in all parts of the state, in winter and summer, in town and in field, on the prairie and in the woods and hills,”. and he is a singer of a distinctive type, fighting for the protection of his home, falling, if necessary, in its defense, like any true Texan.”
Evidently, other states shared this enthusiasm for the “mimic of many tongues,” because Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Florida also made it their state bird.
The northern mockingbird is actually found throughout Texas and ranges from southern Canada to Mexico and the West Indies.
At this time of year, when insects and berries can be scarce, warblers may split into individual bird territories, but will generally join their mates in the spring.
Fiercely aggressive and territorial, goshawks will defend their eggs and young and will not hesitate to take larger birds such as hawks and owls.
Not a colorful bird, being mostly dull gray with white outer tail feathers and white wing spots, this bird is about 10 inches long. He makes up for his lack of color with his superb vocal talents. It has been called “the lark and the nightingale in one”, and in colonial times, the Indians called the bird “contalala” or “four hundred tongues”.
It is known to reproduce 39 bird songs, 50 bird calls and the sounds of a frog and a cricket.
Plus such notable sounds as the beep-beep-beep of a backhoe in reverse and a referee’s whistle at a football game.
During the winter, mockingbirds often have a non-musical call that is short, low and boisterous. But still, if you hear a creaking door or a car alarm, you might wonder if our mischievous and wonderful state bird has paid you a visit.
