[scrapple]

We are renting in Springdale (?) in Fairview (?) (I'm still not sure where I am!) and there are the most active song birds with beautiful warbles that sing all times of the day and night! I can't believe they are still up singing at 11pm! Is this unusual? How do you get these kinds of birds to habitate your area? Any other places have them?
Carol

[villages07]

They are probably mockingbirds .... sing many tunes. They seemed to have livened up now that the weather is cooler. They were pretty quiet this summer. You will see them all over the Villages.

[BlueHeronFan]

I listened to a mockingbird sing one day, the same tune, in 5 different octaves. It was facinating. I could listen to them all day.

[LI SNOWBIRD]

Originally Posted by BlueHeronFan

I listened to a mockingbird sing one day, the same tune, in 5 different octaves. It was facinating. I could listen to them all day.

Yup mocking birds. They are a treat anyday. And yes, it's a sin to kill one

[EXYZEE40]

First of all, welcome to The Villages! Hope you have a very pleasant stay in TV!

On occasion you will hear a bird sing in the evening. It is not unusual.

We were told that mockingbirds repeat each sound 3 times. See if you can notice this or not.

Re: attracting birds, our experience has been to place a 'ceramic planter saucer' filled with water on the ground near a bottlebrush tree in our yard. We've had doves, mockingbirds and others come for the water. The mockingbirds will go into the saucer and 'take a bath.' If we have had a dry spell, the birds know where to find the water, it's amazing!

Enjoy!!

[scrapple]

Originally Posted by EXYZEE40

First of all, welcome to The Villages! Hope you have a very pleasant stay in TV!

On occasion you will hear a bird sing in the evening. It is not unusual.

We were told that mockingbirds repeat each sound 3 times. See if you can notice this or not.

Re: attracting birds, our experience has been to place a 'ceramic planter saucer' filled with water on the ground near a bottlebrush tree in our yard. We've had doves, mockingbirds and others come for the water. The mockingbirds will go into the saucer and 'take a bath.' If we have had a dry spell, the birds know where to find the water, it's amazing!

Enjoy!!

Thanks for the tip but I'm betting our dog Kodiak would be even more thankful! I think I'll find a raised bird bath in my travels.
What about bird food...anything in particular to use or avoid? Back home the next door neighbor enticed the city pigeons in with peanuts with the shell on. The squirrels, of course, loved the peanuts which meant we all had little peanut plants on our properties in Denver!

[swrinfla]

My National Geographic 'Birds of North America' says, in part, "Northern Mockingbird [Mimus polyglottos] . . . Song is a mixture of original and imitative phrases, each repeated several times. Often sings at night. Imitates other species' songs and calls. Both sexes sing in fall, claiming feeding territories. Call is a loud, sharp check. Aggressive territorial defense; may attack any intruder."

Scrapple, you probably never saw these guys in Denver; they may sometimes breed in the higher elevations there, but almost never along the Front Range.

I've enjoyed many a concert sitting on my lanai as a mocker or maybe even a couple sing and sing and sing in the tree nearby.

SWR

[scrapple]

Thanks everyone. I listened closer today and you all seem to be right on about the mocking bird. From what I saw on line, it looks like the same bird. How beautiful.

[batman911]

The Mockingbird is the Texas state bird and you can be fined and jailed for harming one in Texas. They can become agressive when nesting with young iff you get too near the nest.

[teach232]

It is also Florida's state bird.

[Russ_Boston]

Originally Posted by batman911

The Mockingbird is the Texas state bird and you can be fined and jailed for harming one in Texas. They can become agressive when nesting with young iff you get too near the nest.

who said anything about harming one? Why mention that?