Northern Mockingbird

Mimus polyglottos (Linnaeus, 1758) 10670
Family: Passeriformes > Mimidae

A long-tailed, grey, thrush-sized bird that is renowned for its song (birds in this family can use both halves of their syrinx independently).

Northern Mockingbird is an extremely rare visitor to Britain, with just a handful of records. The first of these was at Saltash, Cornwall in August 1982. Earlier records had been rejected as likely being of captive origin or ship-assisted. More recently an individual was found in Devon in January 2021. Remarkably, this individual was relocated in Surrey in April and in Northumberland in May.

Select a topic for more facts and statistics about the Northern Mockingbird

  • Breeding
  • Winter
181 records observations recorded by BTO surveyors
181 records

BTO RECORDS

181 records observations recorded by BTO surveyors
181 records

BTO RECORDS

Identification

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Status and Trends

Population size and trends and patterns of distribution based on BTO surveys and atlases with data collected by BTO volunteers.

CONSERVATION STATUS

This species can be found on the following statutory and conservation listings and schedules.

POPULATION SIZE

We have no population estimates for this scarce species.

SEASONALITY

Northern Mockingbird is a very rare vagrant. These records relate to one well-watched individual.

Weekly occurence of Northern Mockingbird from BirdTrack
Weekly occurrence patterns (shaded cells) and reporting rates (vertical bars) based on BirdTrack data. Reporting rates give the likelihood of encountering the species each week.

Movement

Information about movement and migration based on online bird portals (e.g. BirdTrack), Ringing schemes and tracking studies.

RINGING RECOVERIES

View a summary of recoveries in the Online Ringing Report.

Biology

Lifecycle and body size information about Northern Mockingbird, including statistics on nesting, eggs and lifespan based on BTO ringing and nest recording data.

PRODUCTIVITY & NESTING

Sample sizes are too small to report Productivity and Nesting statistics for this species.

BIOMETRICS

Sample sizes are too small to report Biometrics for this species.

Feather measurements and photos on featherbase

CODES & CLASSIFICATION

For information in another language (where available) click on a linked name

Welsh: Gwatwarwr y Gogledd
Catalan: mim políglota
Czech: drozdec mnohohlasý
Danish: Nordlig Spottedrossel
Dutch: Spotlijster
Estonian: taidur-pilalind
Finnish: taiturimatkija
French: Moqueur polyglotte
German: Spottdrossel
Hungarian: énekes gezerigó
Icelandic: Hermifugl
Italian: Mimo poliglotto
Latvian: dziedatajžagaste
Lithuanian: amerikinis megdžiotojas
Norwegian: Sangspottefugl
Polish: przedrzezniacz pólnocny
Portuguese: tordo-imitador
Slovak: spevák mnohohlasý
Slovenian: severni oponašalec
Spanish: Sinsonte norteño
Swedish: nordlig härmtrast

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