Watercolor portrait of Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)

What does the Northern Mockingbird song sound like?

Mimus polyglottos
Song

Play the real Northern Mockingbird song, the "varied medley", and learn what to listen for.

“varied medley”

What the Northern Mockingbird song sounds like

A long, variable series of phrases, each repeated 2-6 times before changing, often imitating other birds and noises. A single sequence can go on for minutes. For example: "chirp-chirp-chirp ... tweet-tweet-tweet ... clack-clack-clack ..." mixing blue jay calls, car alarm imitations, cardinal whistles, etc., back to back. The overall effect is a loud, rambling musical performance that can be heard day or night.

“varied medley”

How to find the bird singing it

Open and semi-open habitats, frequently near humans. Thrives in suburbs, towns, parks, and rural farmyards. Also found in open country with thickets, forest edges, and scrubby deserts. Requires some dense shrubs or hedges for nesting and cover, but prefers adjacent open areas like lawns, pastures, or roads for feeding. Range spans much of the US (especially the South and mid-Atlantic) and into Mexico; generally avoids deep woods.

  • Gray plumage with white patches: Gray overall with a pale underside; large white wing patches and white outer tail feathers highly visible in flight or when wings are flashed
  • Singing behavior: Often seen singing from high perches, mimicking other birds' songs in rapid succession
  • Long tail: Long tail often held cocked upward or flicked side to side; when in flight, tail edges are white

When you'll hear it

Spring

Intense singing day and night, especially by unmated males. Nest construction and first round of breeding begins. Highly territorial, with dramatic displays and aggressive defense of nest sites.

Summer

Peak breeding season with multiple broods possible. Continued territorial defense and singing. Young birds begin to appear, resembling adults but with slightly spottier underparts.

Fall

Less singing as birds focus on eating berries and fruits. Young of the year disperse to find territories. Birds begin defending fruit-bearing shrubs against competitors.

Winter

Remain territorial, especially around food sources. Reduced singing but may vocalize on warm days. Birds stay in pairs on territory year-round, with singing increasing again by late winter.

Don’t confuse it with

Birds whose song gets mistaken for this one. Play them back to back.

Gray Catbird

Catbirds are a bit smaller, uniformly charcoal-gray with a black cap and a rust-red patch under the tail.

Northern Mockingbird song FAQ

What does a Northern Mockingbird song sound like?
A long, variable series of phrases, each repeated 2-6 times before changing, often imitating other birds and noises. A single sequence can go on for minutes. For example: "chirp-chirp-chirp ... tweet-tweet-tweet ... clack-clack-clack ..." mixing blue jay calls, car alarm imitations, cardinal whistles, etc., back to back. The overall effect is a loud, rambling musical performance that can be heard day or night. Birders write it as "varied medley".
How do I tell a Northern Mockingbird from a Gray Catbird by ear?
Gray Catbird: Catbirds are a bit smaller, uniformly charcoal-gray with a black cap and a rust-red patch under the tail.; They lack white wing patches and are more often hidden in thickets..
When is the best time to hear the Northern Mockingbird song?
In spring, males that haven't attracted a mate may sing day and night, with nocturnal singing especially common on bright moonlit nights. Pairs build twiggy nests in bushes or low trees; they may raise 2-3 broods from spring into late summer. Both sexes aggressively defend the nest area, dive-bombing cats, crows, or humans who get too close. Summer is filled with almost nonstop singing and territorial chases. In fall, singing diminishes and the birds focus on fattening up on berries; young of the year disperse to find their own territories. Through winter, mockingbirds remain territorial, often defending berry-laden bushes against others. They usually sing less in winter, but may still practice snippets of their song on warm days. By late winter, the volume and frequency of singing increases again as they court mates and prepare to nest.

More Northern Mockingbird sounds

Northern Mockingbird: the full species pageEvery sound we have, field marks, habitat and similar species.How to Learn Bird Songs by Ear: A Gentle Two-Week MethodLearning bird songs by ear sounds intimidating until you realize you already know a few — that robin in your yard, the chickadee at the feeder. Here is the gentle on-ramp: seven birds to learn first, a memory trick that works even if you cannot carry a tune, and a ten-minute-a-day rhythm that turns spring noise into named neighbors.How to Learn Bird Calls Fast: A 7-Day Spring PlanYou have seven days. You want seven birds. This is the plan: one new song per day, a mnemonic per bird, ten minutes you steal from your coffee break. Sunday-to-Sunday, you walk outside and a name lands in your head before you have time to think about it.The Dawn Chorus: Which Birds Sing First Each Morning (And Why)Every morning, as the first light touches the sky, birds like the American Robin and Northern Cardinal begin their symphony. But why do they choose dawn for their most vigorous singing?