Male and female mockingbirds are both of similar sizes. However, some males may be slightly larger than females. [1] X Research source Mockingbirds should be about the size of an American Robin. It’s a fairly average sized bird. [2] X Research source Their wingspans are about 12 to 14 inches (30 to 36 cm). [3] X Research source

Mockingbirds are thin in appearance with longer tails. [4] X Research source A mockingbird will have a somewhat small head. Its beak will be long and curved downward slightly. [5] X Trustworthy Source The Cornell Lab of Ornithology Research lab of Cornell University dedicated to interpreting and conserving the Earth’s biological diversity through research and education about birds Go to source Mockingbirds have relatively long legs in comparison to most birds. [6] X Trustworthy Source The Cornell Lab of Ornithology Research lab of Cornell University dedicated to interpreting and conserving the Earth’s biological diversity through research and education about birds Go to source A mockingbird has short, somewhat stubby wings. In flight, the nature of the wings make their tails look even longer. [7] X Trustworthy Source The Cornell Lab of Ornithology Research lab of Cornell University dedicated to interpreting and conserving the Earth’s biological diversity through research and education about birds Go to source

Overall, mockingbirds are gray-brown in color. Their breasts and bellies tend to be grayer. [8] X Trustworthy Source The Cornell Lab of Ornithology Research lab of Cornell University dedicated to interpreting and conserving the Earth’s biological diversity through research and education about birds Go to source Their coloring is darker and more solid in appearance on the upper parts of the body, like the head and back. [9] X Research source There are bits of white on specific places in the mockingbird. You’ll see a few white feathers on their tales. Their wings should each have one white bar. [10] X Research source A younger mockingbird will have a similar color scheme, but the grayish colors may be spottier and somewhat dappled in appearance, especially on the belly and breast. [11] X Research source The mockingbird can be mistaken with the northern shrike, which has similar coloring. However, shrikes do not have white on their wings and their coloring tends to be blacker, especially around the face. [12] X Research source

The call of a mockingbird is loud and sharp. When singing, the mockingbird produces a complex series of notes and sounds. It tends to repeat the same songs over and over again. [13] X Research source During the breeding season, in spring and summer, males will sing 24 hours a day. If you hear a bird singing for the entirety of a day, you might be hearing a mockingbird. [14] X Research source

Mockingbirds are easy to spot as they sit out in the open. If a bird is sitting on a tree branch in plain sight, hopping along the road, or in other easy-to-see places like fences or telephone poles, it may be a mockingbird. [15] X Trustworthy Source The Cornell Lab of Ornithology Research lab of Cornell University dedicated to interpreting and conserving the Earth’s biological diversity through research and education about birds Go to source The mockingbird will be protective of what it sees as its environment. It’s not uncommon to see a mockingbird dive and then attack other birds or animals that invade its space. A bird that is aggressive with intruders may very well be a mockingbird if it also matches the physical description. [16] X Research source

Mockingbirds typically live in the southern half of the United States. They’re present year-round in parts of California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Delaware, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, New York, and in the southern part of Maine. In some nearby states, like Colorado and Utah, you may see mockingbirds in the spring or summer during mating season. [18] X Research source Mockingbirds are often present in suburbs or towns. They prefer open country areas where there are some woods and foliage present. If you live in a more urban town or suburb, with little forest, you’re less likely to encounter a mockingbird. [19] X Trustworthy Source The Cornell Lab of Ornithology Research lab of Cornell University dedicated to interpreting and conserving the Earth’s biological diversity through research and education about birds Go to source