Defend yourself !

   There is a team of Northern Mockingbirds (Mimus polyglottos) that have begun making aerial swoop attacks against me any time I am in the front yard. I walk to get the mail; I am attacked. I check the ripeness of my figs; they swoop down at my head. I walk out of the garage and down the driveway; again I am the target of aerial bombardments from the mocker air force.

   The Northern Mockingbird is famous for its amazingly varied songs. It can imitate the sound of other birds. In fact it has so many different songs in its repertoire, that the tremendous variety of songs it can sing is an easy way to identify the mockingbird by sound, without having to actually see the bird.

But I have noticed that during these aerial attacks, the mockers do not sing. They glare down at me and make a single loud sharp chirp. Then another mocker will respond from another perch. I interpret this as defensive behavior, but I cannot perceive the nest or nestling that they are defending.

Northern Mockingbird

   One mocker is stationed on the roof of the house. One is stationed in the magnolia tree. And the third is parked in the Leland Cypress tree. They may be defending nestlings, but I think it is the figs. Last year the Mockingbirds helped us eat the yummy figs on that fig tree. I am certain the birds are aware of the figs in that tree and they surely see them quickly ripening.

   If you visit my house, save yourself ! Wear a hat.

   Robert

photo courtesy of rfowler