The northern mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) is a medium-sized songbird found across much of the United States. Known for its complex songs and aggressive territorial behavior, the northern mockingbird is the state bird of 5 different states but not Washington. This raises the question – are there northern mockingbirds in Washington state?
Northern Mockingbird Overview
The northern mockingbird is a member of the mimic thrush family, Mimidae. Some key facts about the northern mockingbird include:
– Scientific name: Mimus polyglottos
– Other common names: Southern Mockingbird, Mocker
– Size: 8.3–10.2 in (21–26 cm) in length with a wingspan of 12.2-13.4 in (31-34 cm)
– Weight: 1.6–2.0 oz (45–58 g)
The northern mockingbird is gray on the upper parts with darker wings and whitish underparts. It has white patches on the wings and outer tail feathers. The bill is black, eyes are yellow, and legs are gray.
Northern mockingbirds are omnivorous and eat insects, berries, seeds, and fruits. They are known for their intelligence and complex vocalizations. Mockingbirds can mimic the songs of up to 30 other bird species, as well as other sounds like car alarms, squeaky gates, and barking dogs.
The breeding habitat of northern mockingbirds ranges across the lower 48 United States, southern Canada, Mexico, the Bahamas, and the Cayman Islands. Northern mockingbirds can be found in open countryside, forest edge, thickets, parks, suburbs, and towns. They commonly nest in trees, shrubs, and hedgerows.
Range of the Northern Mockingbird
The northern mockingbird has an extensive range that covers much of the continental United States, southern Canada, Mexico, parts of the Caribbean, and the Bahamas.
According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the breeding range of the northern mockingbird includes:
– Most of the continental United States, from southern Oregon, Wyoming, Illinois, West Virginia, Maryland and southern New Jersey southward. Also found in southern Nevada, southern Utah, and Baja California.
– South-central Canada including southern Saskatchewan, southern Manitoba, southern Ontario, southwestern Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia.
– Mexico from Sonora and Tamaulipas south to Oaxaca and Veracruz.
– Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, Turks and Caicos Islands, and the northern Lesser Antilles.
Northern mockingbirds are partially migratory. Northern populations generally migrate to the southern United States and Mexico for the winter. However, some southern mockingbirds are permanent residents year-round.
The northern mockingbird has been expanding its range northwards and can now be found farther north than formerly recorded. For example, over the last century it has expanded into parts of Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Nova Scotia, and other northern locales.
Northern Mockingbird Habitat
The northern mockingbird is adaptable to a wide variety of open and semi-open habitats. Their preferred nesting habitats include:
– Open woodlands
– Forest edges
– Hedges and thickets
– Orchards
– Parks and suburban yards
– Desert scrublands
– Farmland
Northern mockingbirds require trees and large shrubs for nesting sites but forage in more open areas. They commonly nest 3-10 feet above ground in the branches or forks of trees and shrubs.
Some key features northern mockingbirds look for when selecting their breeding habitat include:
– Presence of trees, shrubs, or hedges for nesting
– Open areas for foraging such as short grass, lawns, pastures
– Low, dense vegetation for protection
– Access to berries and fruiting trees/shrubs
– Sparse population of predatory birds like hawks and crows
Mockingbirds breeding in urban and suburban areas often nest on ornamental shrubs and trees in yards, parks, and gardens. Rural mockingbirds nest along fencerows, roadsides, forest edges, and in thickets.
Range Map of the Northern Mockingbird
Here is a range map showing the breeding, wintering, year-round, and migration ranges of the northern mockingbird across North America:
Is the Northern Mockingbird Found in Washington State?
Based on its expansive range across the United States, you may wonder if the northern mockingbird occurs in the state of Washington.
The answer is yes – the northern mockingbird is found in Washington, but it is considered uncommon and local within the state.
According to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, the northern mockingbird has a sparse and scattered distribution across parts of Washington. The species is described as an “uncommon summer resident and breeder” in the state.
Most records of northern mockingbirds in Washington come from the southern and eastern parts of the state. Counties where the northern mockingbird has been documented include:
– Asotin
– Benton
– Clark
– Columbia
– Franklin
– Garfield
– Klickitat
– Walla Walla
– Yakima
There are also a few records from the Puget Sound region, the northeastern corner of the state, and the Okanogan Highlands.
While northern mockingbirds can be found in various areas of Washington during the summer breeding season, their populations appear to be small. No sizable breeding concentrations have been documented.
Washington is at the northwestern edge of the mockingbird’s overall range which likely explains their scarcity in the state. The habitat and climate conditions are marginal for the species in many parts of Washington.
Evidence of Breeding in Washington
There is evidence confirming that northern mockingbirds nest and breed in parts of Washington state, though nesting activity seems to be sparse and localized.
Some of the key evidence that northern mockingbirds breed in Washington includes:
– Nesting activity has been observed by birders and biologists in areas like Franklin and Walla Walla counties. Most nesting occurs in rural and agricultural areas.
– Adult birds have been observed carrying food and feeding fledglings, indicating successful breeding.
– Juvenile and immature mockingbirds are regularly observed in Washington during the late summer, confirming local breeding.
– The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife lists the mockingbird as a confirmed breeding species statewide based on evidence of nesting and young.
– Egg sets have been collected from mockingbird nests in parts of eastern Washington like Klickitat County.
– There are several credible breeding season records in the state bird database eBird. Documented nestings include a 2013 record from Benton County.
While the evidence clearly shows that mockingbirds nest in small numbers in Washington, they are far less common as a breeding species compared to states further south or east.
Habitats Used for Nesting
The northern mockingbird nests in a wide variety of habitats across its range, but there are some key habitats used for breeding in Washington:
– Rural farmlands – Mockingbirds often nest in farmlands with fencerows, scattered thickets, and orchards in eastern Washington.
– Riparian areas – Nesting occurs along rivers and streams with thick vegetation in draws and bottomlands.
– Residential areas – Nesting mockingbirds are found in towns, suburbs, and rural homesteads, using ornamental landscaping.
– Shrublands – Open shrubby habitat with sagebrush, bitterbrush, thickets of willow and rose, etc.
– Orchards – Breeding activity is seen in fruit orchards in rural areas.
– Tree groves – Lone trees, small groves, wooded strips along roads, etc, provide nest sites.
– Forest edges – Nesting along the edges of pine forests has been documented.
Ideal nesting spots provide dense, low vegetation for nest concealment with more open surroundings for foraging on insects. Access to fruiting shrubs and trees is also important.
Partners in Flight Estimates for Washington’s Breeding Population
Due to the scarcity of northern mockingbirds in Washington, there are no precise statewide population estimates.
However, Partners in Flight has produced rough estimates of Washington’s breeding mockingbird population:
– The latest Partners in Flight Landbird Population Estimate for Washington is 450 breeding pairs.
– This represents 0.2% of the estimated 21st century global population.
– Earlier Partners in Flight data estimated the Washington population at 100 breeding pairs in the 1990s.
While these population estimates are crude for an uncommon species like the northern mockingbird, they suggest a small statewide summer population on the order of hundreds of pairs.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife classifies the northern mockingbird as an uncommon summer breeding resident statewide. Breeding activities are likely highly localized and scattered based on the limited suitable nesting habitat. Significant breeding concentrations have not been documented.
mockingbird Sightings in Washington
As a scarce breeding bird in Washington, reported sightings provide useful information about the distribution and habitats used by mockingbirds in the state.
Some patterns visible in recent northern mockingbird sightings in Washington:
– Concentrated along the Columbia River corridor in areas like Klickitat, Benton, and Franklin counties.
– Observed nesting in rural and agricultural areas, particularly in eastern Washington.
– Regular summer sightings around Walla Walla. Several eBird reports indicate probable breeding.
– Small numbers breed in suburban parks and residential areas along the I-5 corridor from Seattle southward.
– Occasional nesting in northeastern Washington in areas like Ferry and Stevens counties.
– Uncommon summer reports west of the Cascades in the Puget Sound lowlands and along the outer coast.
– Rare sightings in northern Washington and in higher elevation regions like the Okanogan Highlands.
While northern mockingbird sightings can occur across much of Washington, the largest numbers occur in rural eastern parts of the state during the summer breeding season. Sightings are much sparser west of the Cascades.
Evidence it is Breeding Rather than Passing Through in Migration
When a northern mockingbird is observed in Washington state during spring or summer, how can you tell whether it is a local breeder versus a migrant passing through?
Here are some clues that a mockingbird is likely breeding rather than migrating:
– Singing and displaying territorial behavior. Mockingbirds will sing persistently and chase other birds if defending a breeding territory.
– Carrying nesting material like twigs or grasses. This shows signs of nest building.
– Copulation or courtship feeding observed between a pair of adults.
– Visits to a probable nest site in a tree or shrub.
– Adult spotted carrying food or feeding fledglings. Strong evidence of successful local breeding.
– Presence of fledgling or juvenile birds being tended by parents. A sure sign of successful nesting.
– Repeated sightings in the same area over a season make it likely the birds are breeding rather than migrating through.
– Reports during the peak breeding season from May to July make breeding more likely. Migrants are more probable outside the core breeding period.
– Locations within the known Washington breeding range also make breeding more likely compared to rare locations like the north Cascades.
With the variety of evidence available, observers can usually determine whether an observation represents a local nesting pair as opposed to migrant birds passing through. This helps improve knowledge about the localized breeding distribution in the state.
Recent Breeding Records
While breeding records are sparse, here are some recent observations that confirm northern mockingbirds nesting in Washington:
– In 2019, mockingbirds were observed carrying nest material in Franklin County, indicating breeding activity.
– eBird has June-July reports of probable nesting pairs in Walla Walla in both 2018 and 2019 based on territorial behavior.
– A mockingbird was spotted feeding a fledgling at a residence in the Tri-Cities area in summer 2018.
– In 2017, a Benton County observer took photos of a mockingbird nest with eggs, representing important documentation of breeding.
– Nest building was noted by birders in Prosser, Washington in 2016, though the outcome of the nesting attempt is unknown.
– A mockingbird nest with eggs was discovered in rural Klickitat County in 2008, now housed in a museum collection.
– There is a 1958 egg set collected in Walla Walla that remains the oldest documented breeding record for the state.
While many nesting attempts go undocumented, occasional reports confirm that mockingbirds still breed in small numbers across central and eastern Washington as they have for decades. Focused surveys could improve knowledge about current breeding locations in the state.
Breeding Bird Survey Trends
The Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) is a long-term, large-scale survey of North American birds conducted each June. BBS data can provide information about population trends for species like the northern mockingbird.
According to BBS data from 1966-2015:
– Northern mockingbirds show a significant annual population increase of 1.31% per year in Washington based on a small sample size.
– They show a more robust annual increase of 2.16% per year across the entire western BBS region (WA, OR, CA, ID, NV).
– The trends point to a moderate population increase over the past half century in the West.
While the BBS data have limitations for uncommon species, the trends align with the observed range expansion and population increases of northern mockingbirds in the West over the past century.
The upward population trajectory in Washington and other western states may point to the continued expansion of northern mockingbirds as a breeder on the northwestern edge of their range, likely driven by factors like climate change.
Future Breeding Expansion in Washington
Could northern mockingbirds potentially expand their breeding activities and population in Washington state moving forward?
Some possibilities that may support future breeding expansion include:
– Global warming and rising temperatures could make more areas of Washington suitable for breeding by mockingbirds. Their range has already expanded northward over the past century as the climate has warmed.
– Mockingbirds have proven adaptable to human-altered environments like suburbs, farms, and ranches. Continued rural and urban development across Washington could create additional nesting habitat.
– maturing ornamental vegetation in landscaping could provide improved nesting structure in years to come.
– Low breeding densities across large parts of Washington suggest there is room for population growth if conditions become more favorable.
– Dispersing juveniles may eventually colonize previously unused areas if food resources and climate conditions permit. This could accelerate range expansion.
While significant population growth seems speculative, a gradual increase in northern mockingbird breeding numbers, range, and density within Washington seems plausible based on past trends and future environmental changes. Careful monitoring of breeding bird atlas, survey, and citizen science data can track any population changes over time.
Conclusions
In conclusion, northern mockingbirds are present in Washington state as a local, uncommon breeder during the summer months, mainly in rural areas east of the Cascades. While their breeding distribution is widespread, population density is low across the state with no major breeding concentrations known. However, mockingbird numbers do appear to be slowly increasing in Washington, consistent with range expansions observed across the western United States. Continued monitoring of breeding bird data will be important for understanding mockingbird population trends and habitat usage within the state moving forward. This information can guide future management and conservation efforts for the species.