Mockingbird Mafia

I've had a mockingbird start showing up at my feeders this winter. At first I thought it was really cool. They are not frequent feeder visitors, generally. Then I started noticing that he would chase off other birds! Not cool. He'll just sit on the finial of the feeder pole most of the day. When other birds show up, he'll fly at them to chase them away, even a red-bellied woodpecker! It turns out that mockingbirds are very territorial, and not just towards others of their species. When they find a food source, they take it over and defend it. So, now, I'm thinking, "great, he came in and took over the neighborhood." Just like the Mafia!


So, while I was trying to get a photo of the phenomenon for this post, I noticed that there were no birds at my feeders. None. Strange for the time of day, in the winter, when I had just refilled all the feeders. I was also trying to think of ways to take back my feeders from this mockingbird bully. I even confess to thinking about our neighborhood hawk maybe taking care of this for me. Yes, a mafia hitman!
No sooner did this thought occur to me than a big shadow went across the yard from over the house. Then this landed under my Cedar tree! If this was lurking about on our roof or in one of the larger trees, that would certainly explain the distinct lack of birds about. If you've read my earlier post on the Sharp Shinned and Cooper's Hawks, you'll remember their favorite food is other birds. They think bird feeders are the equivalent of an all-you-can eat buffet!


I got photos of it in the tree on the other side of the yard after that. The photo was taken at the top limit of my digital zoom, but with a little enhancement help, you can clearly see its markings and the shape of its tail. You'll also remember from the previous post that the best way to tell a Sharp Shinned Hawk from a Cooper's Hawk is the shape of its tail. I use alliteration as a way to remember: Sharp Shinned, small size and square tail. The Cooper's Hawk has a curved tail. I'm fairly sure this one is a female because its size was large enough that I had to check the tail to be sure it wasn't the larger Cooper's Hawk. The coarse brown streakiness of its plumage and the white above the eye are indicative of a first year juvenile, with the eye streak unique to the Sharp-Shinned.


Well, for the mockingbird anyway, the incident had a happy ending, for now. I seriously thought I was going to have to rename this post "To Mourn a Mockingbird" for a minute, though!