My backyard has been well and truly colonized

[conuly]

by a flock of... are they mockingbirds? They're eating birdseed, and I wasn't aware that mockingbirds flock, but they're light gray on the bottom and dark gray on top and they have flashy wings. Not very flashy wings. I didn't get a picture.

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Comments

[ioplokon]

They can be cooperative sometimes. There were a group of like 5 or 6 by my old place who would chill together & try to fight off the Cooper's hawk that also lived nearby.

[l33tminion]

You can identify mockingbirds by their call because they are very loud, and imitate various bird calls and car alarms.

[conuly]

Yes, but I cannot identify them by their call if they're being quiet.

[l33tminion]

I guess lucky if you've got a whole flock of them at your house.

[movingfinger]

That's interesting--I am sure you're right that it's a flock of mockingbirds, but they used to migrate. Winter in the city area is mild enough with enough food to keep them there! Traveling in a flock helps with foraging and makes avoiding predators easier. They go back to being territorial and noisy in breeding season, as you know. They eat a variety of things but they love mealworms if you have those.

[mama_kestrel]

Enjoy the mockingbirds!

Incidentally, your computer seems to think it's January 22.

[conuly]

No, it doesn’t.

[mama_kestrel]

Okay...your post is dated January 22. No one else's (in which case I'd blame my computer) - just yours. Weird.

[conuly]

Yes, this is because I like to future-date my posts.

[mama_kestrel]

Oh, okay. I guess I just never noticed before. Sorry.

[conuly]

There's no reason to apologize. I'm just pretty sure my reason wouldn't make much emotional sense to other people :)

[jessie_c]

Mockingbird pictures. Can you identify the suspects?

[conuly]

I do think they must be. It was the flocking behavior - and also the fact that they were eating at the feeder - which has been tripping me up.