by Rosemary Jann
It must be an indication of how preoccupied I’ve been lately: I didn’t realize the mockingbirds were nesting again until their scratchy chat call exploded over my head as one buzzed me crossing the yard.
Northern Mockingbirds are fond of the native honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) in our yard, especially for their first nesting of the season. According to the Audubon Guide to North American Birds, mockingbirds raise upwards of two broods a year but don’t reuse their nests, opting instead for a new site in their territory. The trumpet honeysuckle provides a protective tangle of vines at their preferred nesting height, 3 to 10 feet off the ground. Native to North America, they have adapted especially well to suburban environments, which provide mowed lawns for foraging, tall telephone lines for surveilling their territory, and nearby shrubs for shelter. I don’t know whether these are the same birds that were here in past years, but Wikipedia notes that suburban mockingbirds often return to sites where they previously bred successfully.
Of course, the best-known trait of Mimus polyglottos is signaled by their name, which means “many-tongued mimic.” Although both sexes mimic, the male is especially prolific in adding new songs throughout his lifetime (up to 200 in all, according to Cornell Lab’s guide, All About Birds). In suburban settings, these can include not just the songs of other birds and animals (like cats), but also common sounds like car alarms and ringtones.
Their noisy aggression is equally distinctive, however. Cornell states that scientists debate the purpose of the male’s characteristic flashing of the white patches on his wings. Is it intended to startle insects, to intimidate rivals, or, like his song repertoire, to help attract a mate?
Their often-displayed aggression against other creatures can also serve multiple purposes. They use their chat call as they run off territorial rivals and while attacking nest predators. I had seen mockingbirds dive-bombing cats; I was puzzled when witnessing a particularly vicious and prolonged attack on a hapless squirrel, until I learned that they too predate on eggs and nestlings. Crows and other larger birds are also nest robbers, which explains why the mockingbirds were so violent in driving off some crows casing their nesting site in our yard last week. Mockingbirds apparently endorse the belief that the best defense is a good offense.
Aggression plays a role not just in natural selection but also in sexual selection. A high level of aggression in the male signals to the female that he is likely to be more invested in the parenting process and therefore deliver more nesting success. This is important, says the Animal Diversity Web page on Northern Mockingbirds, since both build the nest, both feed the chicks, and the male educates the nestlings while the female starts building a new nest. So, if you find yourself annoyed by the aggressive behavior of this noisy backyard neighbor, it may help to understand that the mockingbird’s feistiness plays an important role in its survival—and to wear a hat if you can’t avoid being dive-bombed on the way to the car.
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I have had a family of vultures take over our bird bath and scare off all other birds, for the past two years. This year a new kid is in town. I don’t know if it’s the same two opponents but we have seen a mockingbird swoop and land audible blows on a vulture on multiple occasions.
I don’t know why more sports teams aren’t named after mockingbirds. I’ve personally seen them attack vultures, hawks, crows, owls, cats, dogs, humans, and bald eagles. Hell I’ve been attacked by one before! 100% the most fearless and feared bird around.
I found a cute fledging crying out for help in my garage. When I placed her outside in a nearby bush, within minutes the parents came over and warned me to stay away. I was scared they may dive bomb me! Very dedicated parents indeed.
Hi! I never knew mockingbirds were so vicious. Do they attack owls? I was attacked by an owl defending it’s nest on a summer holiday. Who would win in a showdown between mockingbirds and owls?
We checked with our local bird experts, the Northern Virginia Bird Alliance, which noted that mockingbirds do attack and harass owls, individually or in groups (known as mobbing) to defend their territory, but they are not physically capable of killing an owl. They are just trying to get the owl out of their territory. In a showdown, the owl will fly away. NVBA also shared this link from Cornell about mobbing behavior: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/sometimes-i-see-little-birds-going-after-a-big-bird-why-do-they-do-this/.
How do you get them to leave??? NOTHING is working, have tried plastic owls, rubber snakes, hanging mirrors and windchimes, strong (all natural) scented solutions, etc. They’ve run off all the pretty songbirds, and every morning starts now with their piercing imitation of the back up beepers on construction equipment alternated with car alarms, on repeat at top volume from before sunrise until long after sunset. I can’t control the lighting around me. I don’t want to harm them, but they gotta move along. This is maddening.
The advice in addressing noisy mockingbirds is pretty much the same from the blog’s author, as well as the Northern VA Bird Alliance and Wildlife Rescue League: If the mockingbird has a nest nearby, there is no easy solution that wouldn’t harm nests or birds. Mockingbirds are most territorial during nesting season and are likely trying to scare other birds away. However, you should not put out any bird feeders or any type of food at all. The WRL noted that using mylar strips waiving in the wind may frighten them. But if they have nested nearby, you won’t want to do that until the babies have fledged and learned to fly. You don’t want to scare the parents away.
During June 2025, I have seen my local mockingbirds, attack a black snake, several squirels and chase away all the other birds from my back yard. They are nesting in the honeysuckle bushes. They are very photogenic and have let me take a few pictures.