Mockingbird feeding from suet feeder (1 Viewer)

[wvbirdwatcher]

There was a thread on this about 3 years ago, but I wanted to post that, for the first time, a Mockingbird has been feeding from my suet cakes that contain black oil sunflower seeds, both yesterday and today. It is now May, and I never saw them feeding this past winter. Mother Nature provides plenty of types of food for them this time of year, so I suspect, given the personality of this type of bird, that this Mockingbird is merely asserting his/her possession of the feeder. These birds are very territorial and seem to want to call everything their own -- each tree, bush, and fence that they perch on ... and now the suet feeder! Just my opinion. Both pics taken this morning.

 

[Gretchen]

Interesting! I had not thought of Mockingbirds as being more territorial than other birds. I do recall my mother discussing how the Mockingbird in her urban neighborhood strutted on a nearby railing, which seemed to be a pretty territorial activity.

Did you notice if the bird was eating the suet or the seeds?

 

[wvbirdwatcher]

Gretchen, I think I know what you are asking, and I am still curious about the answer. That is, whether the Mockingbird was actually ingesting anything from the suet cake. That is still a question mark. From the looks of the first photo, the bird was definitely interested in eating, perhaps just for the thrill of partaking in an activity that the finches and woodpeckers seem to love! I reside in the interior portion of the Mid-Atlantic region of the US, where Mockingbirds do not appear in as large numbers as they do in the southern/southeastern US. I read in the thread of 2011 that it is not unusual at all for Mockingbirds to visit suet feeders in that part of the country.

With regard to being territorial, I don't view Mockingbirds as necessarily being more so than some of the other bird species. It's just that they seem to be more overt about it. To me, it's sort of a combination of wanting to intimidate intruders, yet wanting to be noticed at the same time. The feeling I get is that the Mockingbird, especially the male, wants to be the "ring-leader", the star of the show. This is also evidenced by its remarkable, repetitive mimicries of a multitude of different bird calls and songs, often performed from an extremely visible position on a fence, shrub, or tree. This type of activity takes place all during the spring, summer, and fall (I rarely see them in the winter here), whether it is nesting season or not.

 

[KC Foggin]

I have Mockingbirds, Thrashers and Catbirds all feeding from my suet feeders. I gotta think it's a fast way to get some food to feed the kids.

 

[wvbirdwatcher]

Thanks for chiming in, KC! I did read your post in the thread of 2011 about Mockingbirds at your suet feeders, and was very heartened by it. Ah, the South ... such an abundance of birds. I have seen Thrashers, but rarely. As far as Catbirds, I have only actually seen one so far, but there must be at least one more nearby. Have never seen Thrashers or Catbirds at my feeders. With regard to the Mockingbirds, I have not seen one on the feeder since May 8th when I took the above photos, but they often use the tree where the feeders are hung as a perching post. On the positive side, it looks like a pair of Barn Swallows will be using the porch nest because they've been hanging around it for the last couple of days, yippee!

 

[chris butterworth]

I agree with KC. At this time of year the females are going to need a lot of food to enable them to produce eggs and the males are burning up energy trying to attract a mate / defending territory so a high energy / high protein foodstuff that requires practically no searching out would be the proverbial manna from heaven.

 

[Chris D]

I've had some of my neighbors feeding on my suet cakes. Such is life in the Colonies. Anyway, I've been spending much time (of late) in New Jersey - taking care of my elderly parents. Mockingbirds there ate suet (cakes from Walmart) between April 11th - 25. They didn't touch the same from May 6th - 11. I had the same cakes in the same spot ---- both times. I hope this is of some interest. Anything beats dying parents and 19 flights in 18 months.

 

[aaron1956]

I recently watched a Northern Mockingbird eating, or at least pecking at an apple half I had stuck on a trellis. It did it a few times one day and I haven't noticed it since. I thought it was rather unusual. The Mockingbirds here give the Grackles a fit! Fun to watch.

 

[wvbirdwatcher]

Thanks for your comment, Chris D. Interesting about the Mockingbirds eating the Walmart suet earlier this spring but not in May. If the weather in New Jersey has been similar to our weather here in northeastern WV, the month of May has brought more food for the Mockingbirds in the form of insects, so maybe that's why they haven't had to eat the suet recently. Sounds like you have been going through quite a stressful time. Wishing you the very best.

 

[wvbirdwatcher]

Good point, Chris Butterworth, about the birds needing quick, high-energy food this time of year. That encourages me to keep refilling the suet cages. Originally I was going to take them down before the warm weather came, but with your comment and that of KC, I have changed my mind. For the last few weeks, all I've had up is the black oil sunflower seed type of suet cakes. The Cardinals love that type immensely, and the House Finches and Woodpeckers love it, too. Tufted Titmice love to crack the seeds also, but I haven't seen many of them around the past few weeks. Of course, the cakes attract Grackles, too, but they don't seem to eat the black oil sunflower type as fast as the other types of suet cakes.

 

[wvbirdwatcher]

Interesting about the Mockingbird and the apple, Aaron. It seems to me that Mockingbirds are rather enterprising about their feeding habits. They'll try anything once! They are said to eat berries in the winter, so I guess they find other types of fruit, like apples, palatable, also. Thanks so much for your comment.

 

[stonechat1]

[...] That encourages me to keep refilling the suet cages. Originally I was going to take them down before the warm weather came, but with your comment and that of KC, I have changed my mind. [...]

I just wonder how our Middle Eurpean birds are able to survive and to breed succcesfully where "no one" is feeding them as soon as snow is gone.

 

[Bird_Bill]

I just wonder how our Middle Eurpean birds are able to survive and to breed succcesfully where "no one" is feeding them as soon as snow is gone.

Mockingbirds are only mimics.
Seldom do they have an cognizant answer to any question they're asked.
The mockingbirds which feeds at my suet cage in the winter, heads for willow trees once they start to bloom.
They are hardly seen in yard lot until the following winter.

 

[stonechat1]

Mockingbirds are only mimics.
Seldom do they have an cognizant answer to any question they're asked.
[...]

:t:

 

[Chris D]

I think they're under-appreciated. The ones in New Jersey come much closer to where I sit than those in Northern California. When they do - they make eye contact. Such a beautiful gracile shape. A few years ago one (in Cali) was doing a 'Car Alarm' and neighbor's kid's 'Video Game'. They also sing the 'Pacific Chorus Frog' jingle common here in winter. I hope they discover the abundant Earwigs in my banana blossoms. Waiting for the Scrubjays and Orioles to do the same. Thanks for the kind words West Virginia. Great football team.

 

[wvbirdwatcher]

Sometimes I don't know what to make of Mockingbirds. They do make excellent photographic subjects, landing on a fence or bush within 20 feet of me and actually staring at me, giving me plenty of time to photograph them. They seem to take on the roles of guardians of the neighborhood, landing on a high wire and singing whenever there is a human or cat around, as if to alert the other birds. However, most of the other birds seem to be intimidated by them. Today a male Robin was perched on the tree from which he often guards his nest, which is in a nearby tree. A Mockingbird landed on the tree near him, and the Robin flew off. The Robin then flew to a nearby fence, and the Mockingbird followed him. Again, the Robin was intimidated and flew from the fence. Since I observe these incidents only when I am in plain sight of the Mockingbirds, I don't know whether my presence has anything to do with this behavior or if the Mockingbirds behave like this all the time. I sometimes wonder if the Mockingbird isn't trying to gain my favor by demonstrating his one-upmanship and showing me that he is "King of the Jungle". Interesting that I still haven't seen a Mockingbird feeding from the suet feeder since May 8th, the day I took the photos above. One will occasionally perch near it, thereby scaring off the other birds, but not feeding from it.

 

[Chris D]

My Scrub Jays chase the Mockingbirds.

 

[Bird_Bill]

My Scrub Jays chase the Mockingbirds.

Here, Blue Jays & Mockingbirds tolerate each other during the winter. Early spring sees the mocker move to insects. Catbirds show up, and they(it) will aggressively police the yard, including the jays. Once the Catbirds nest, they tend to lurk in cover, and lose the possessiveness. Several years ago, one jay apparently learned to mimic either a cat or catbird, could not tell which. It would vocalize then fly in and have the feeder to itself for a few minutes.

 

[wvbirdwatcher]

Surprisingly, I had no Blue Jays at my suet feeders this winter. Maybe it was the way I had my suet feeders hanging. I did have them last winter, though, and they did chase all the other birds away. The only time I saw Blue Jays this past winter was through binoculars on my neighbors' property. I think I already mentioned that I hardly ever see Mockingbirds in the winter. However, in the spring, summer and fall, they are always here, and highly visible. We have colder temps here in the Appalachians as compared to other Eastern US locations of the same latitude. We even had frost last night ... very unseasonable, even for here.

 

[wvbirdwatcher]

I think I spoke too soon about the rarity of a Mockingbird feeding from the suet cakes. Both yesterday and today I witnessed one doing so, but only for a few seconds. Got a photo today, and it looks like a female.