Help with the birds please

[Happinow]

Does anyone know what the name of this bird could be?? It is grayish is color with a white stripe on each wing. It's tail goes upward as opposed to putward, and it squawks horribly. We have many of these fly around the house and they are on the roof and pool cage. They are annoying. We are going to get some owls to put up to keep,them away but I was just wondering if anyone knew what kind of bird it could be. Sorry I can't be more descriptive. Thanks.

[graciegirl]

I imagine they are those cheeky mockingbirds.

[blueash]

mockingbird jpg - Google Search (http://www.google.com/search?q=mockingbird+jpg&rls=com.microsoft:en-US:IE-Address&rlz=1I7ACAW_enUS359US359&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=hal-Uca7OofS9ASn1oGQDA&ved=0CAoQ_AUoAQ&biw=1242&bih=545)

I love their songs. They flick their tail up and down

[pooh]

I'm with Gracie....I'd say they are mockingbirds.

Had them near our CA house and the winged creatures would be up ALL NIGHT courting potential mates. The first year they did this, I thought it was cute, special, beautiful. After many years, their little voices started to sound like fingernails on a blackboard...;)

[Barefoot]

mockingbird jpg - Google Search (http://www.google.com/search?q=mockingbird+jpg&rls=com.microsoft:en-US:IE-Address&rlz=1I7ACAW_enUS359US359&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=hal-Uca7OofS9ASn1oGQDA&ved=0CAoQ_AUoAQ&biw=1242&bih=545)

I love their songs. They flick their tail up and down

We have lots of them around. We like them. I think the birds are part of Florida living, like palm trees, white pelicans and gators. They don't bother us at night, probably the sound of frogs is louder than the mockingbirds.

[marianne237]

They nest in the bushes under our bedroom window, so I know what you mean about the sounds all night long. Never knew birds would keep up chirping after dark. Intrusive, yes. But beautiful and part of the Florida living we've chosen.

[Patty55]

I think if you get dogs or cats that might scare them away.

[swrinfla]

Patty55:

I differ. The mockingbirds have always delighted in harassing The Resident Cat, whether that was Beta, who crossed the Rainbow Bridge many years ago, or his successor Omega.

While the mockers are my favorite birds, mostly because thay can sing an hour's concert with hardly any repetition, they are well known for frustrating The Cat!

That said, The Cat also has to contend with anoles [often misnamed geckos] who have the nerve to crawl on the lanai's screens! They bother her lots more than the mockers!

SWR
:beer3:

[Patty55]

Patty55:

I differ. The mockingbirds have always delighted in harassing The Resident Cat, whether that was Beta, who crossed the Rainbow Bridge many years ago, or his successor Omega.

While the mockers are my favorite birds, mostly because thay can sing an hour's concert with hardly any repetition, they are well known for frustrating The Cat!

That said, The Cat also has to contend with anoles [often misnamed geckos] who have the nerve to crawl on the lanai's screens! They bother her lots more than the mockers!

SWR
:beer3:

So much for cats-lol. My dogs keep the birds (and the lizards) under control. They run around the yard barking up a storm until we are bird free.

[batman911]

Send them over to my home. We would love to have them. Birds eat bugs and sing a nice song for you.

[kittygilchrist]

State bird? as said the upside is they mock other birdsongs, downside is they can be aggressive and noisy. maybe they'll settle down after fledging the younguns...?

[jblum315]

I have a mockingbird that sings beautifully day and night but if I venture out and he sees me he sets up a screeching like he would kill me if he could. I don't know why he hates me, maybe because of my cats on the lanai. We had plenty of mockingbirds in NY but they did not sing at night.

[rubicon]

They have been known to dive bomb people if they perceive you are a threat to their nesting young. I read an article wherein the author claimed that the mockingbird is aware of an owners routine. so that if Joe resident mows his lawn every thursday the mockingbird marks that and your time doing your lawn is not perceived as a threat.

the urban legend when i lived in Memphis concerning mocking birds is that due to their high pitch sounds they were opening up garage doors.

[Ithreeputtoo]

The Mockingbird is the State of Florida bird. It is very protective of its territory. This time of year they chase each other a lot but that will stop in a while.

[marianne237]

And the funny thing is we'll miss them when they've had their families and moved on.

[Happinow]

Thanks for your input. These birds don't sing they Were chasing each other screeching. It would be different if they sang or chirped. Must be mating season! We will put some owls up and hopefully it will keep the birds away. They ate all of our little bits of grapefruit and orange buds!!! We had trees full of little buds....the birds must be full!! Sadly, we will not have a crop of oranges or grapefruits. We will buy fruit tree nets for next season. Bless their little hearts.

[Barefoot]

Thanks for your input. These birds don't sing they Were chasing each other screeching. It would be different if they sang or chirped. Must be mating season! We will put some owls up and hopefully it will keep the birds away.

I hope the owls work for you. They put fake owls at our neighborhood pool so the ducks would stay away. Sometimes the ducks actually sit on top of the owls.

[Patty55]

I'm assuming that they are fake owls. We had them at the barn, they never fooled anyone.

[justjim]

Birds can be a real problem. For example, cities spend thousands of dollars to rid starlings from their perch as they cause a real health hazard. Mockingbird not such a problem but sometimes a real nuisance.

[jazzy48]

There is also a Florida catbird that resembles a mockingbird. They do not sing - they screech and are most protective when they have a nest to protect or babies on the ground. I don't remember them having the white on their wings, however. If my memory of them is correct, they are mostly gray, but many people mistake them for mockingbirds.

[perrjojo]

The Mockingbird is the Florida State Bird. If they nest on your property, they can be VERY aggressive. Hey, it's our state bird...learn to luv em!

[kittygilchrist]

Thanks for your input. These birds don't sing they Were chasing each other screeching. It would be different if they sang or chirped. Must be mating season! We will put some owls up and hopefully it will keep the birds away. They ate all of our little bits of grapefruit and orange buds!!! We had trees full of little buds....the birds must be full!! Sadly, we will not have a crop of oranges or grapefruits. We will buy fruit tree nets for next season. Bless their little hearts.

funny story about putting up owls. My brother tried it and got an enormous population of live owls responding.. just saying....

[Barefoot]

I'm with Gracie....I'd say they are mockingbirds.
Had them near our CA house and the winged creatures would be up ALL NIGHT courting potential mates. The first year they did this, I thought it was cute, special, beautiful. After many years, their little voices started to sound like fingernails on a blackboard...;)

Oh gosh .. Initially when I read the posts on this thread I did not understand how anyone could not enjoy bird songs. Like Pooh, I thought they were cute, special, beautiful.

Well, our birds are up all night partying, singing and squawking. They are especially noisy around 4 AM. I like to sleep with the windows open, but these days I have to close the windows and wear ear plugs to shut out the sound of the courting birds. They better darn well mate soon and have a family and quit the partying! :rant-rave:

[Bonanza]

I imagine they are those cheeky mockingbirds.

Gracie -- that is exactly what I was going to suggest.

As their name implies, they mimic other birds.
Could the problem be a different bird -- the one they are mimicing?

Who knows? It's just a thought.

[Madelaine Amee]

The Mockingbird is the Florida State Bird. If they nest on your property, they can be VERY aggressive. Hey, it's our state bird...learn to luv em!

The Mockingbird frequents my feeding station and they are very aggressive to other birds, including the really big black birds. BUT, as well as being annoying, they must taste pretty good because I have a resident hawk who comes by regularly to check out his next dinner and so far he has taken three Mockingbirds.

[Happinow]

Oh gosh .. Initially when I read the posts on this thread I did not understand how anyone could not enjoy bird songs. Like Pooh, I thought they were cute, special, beautiful.

Well, our birds are up all night partying, singing and squawking. They are especially noisy around 4 AM. I like to sleep with the windows open, but these days I have to close the windows and wear ear plugs to shut out the sound of the courting birds. They better darn well mate soon and have a family and quit the partying! :rant-rave:

You are so right barefoot. The birds like to party all night. We wanted to keep our windows open too but much too loud for us. Those big black birds are annoying as well. The make a racquet! We have palms in our yard and the birds just love it in there. Had I know they attracted so many birds I probably would have thought twice about putting them in. I know, there's worse things out there than chirping (squawking) birds.