Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos
Toronto, ON
26 December 2013
The Northern Mockingbird is perhaps best known for its astonishing vocal repertoire. Many a birder has been fooled into searching for a species he has heard, only to discover he has been duped by the mimicry of the mockingbird.
Since about the mid 1980s the Northern Mockingbird has extended its range in southern Ontario and has progressed from being an extreme rarity to quite common in some locations, and it is known to breed in several areas throughout the province, with its stronghold being the Niagara Peninsula. It appears to be non-migratory and tolerates our harsh winters without apparent difficulty.
This individual was photographed today at Humber Bay Park West in Toronto.
It's interesting how ranges are changing around the world. I've downloaded an American app so will try to remember to listen to the Mockingbird after dinner. Special thanks for sharing the Snowy Owl experience as I'd love to see one, and keep checking the eBird sightings for the west in the hope that there might be one close enough to see when we're there!
ReplyDeleteNicely captured the elusive bird !
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ReplyDeleteSimilar to birds occurring in the mine sides, amateurs fruits and berries :)
Greetings from Poland
Very cool that you were able to shoot David. Mockingbird I've never seen unfortunately it yourself. Yours is he good to see. Very nice when you saw it.
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