Comments on: Two Levels Of Distortion

By: Kate St. John

Kate St. John — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 01:11:39 +0000

Mockingbirds defend their winter territory too. Here’s an explanation of their fall song from Stokes: http://www.stokesbirdsathome.com/birding/behav/behavpages/behav109.html

By: kathy boykowycz

kathy boykowycz — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 00:56:14 +0000

I’ve been wondering why our local Oakland mockingbird(s?) were singing so much in Sept.-Oct. It’s not nesting season, but they were being very musical for some weeks.

By: Kate St. John

Kate St. John — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 22:14:01 +0000

Today at Heinz Chapel the starling flocks were huge — several hundred birds — and they were all chattering. E2 watched them from his 40th floor perch on the Cathedral of Learning. The starlings and pigeons grazed on the ground, then wheeled up and ate fruit on the ornamental trees. Sometimes the starlings would suddenly fall silent, then wheel in a flock and settle in another tree. When they landed they would chatter louder than before as if to say “Whew! We’re still alive. That peregrine didn’t eat us.”

By: kc

kc — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 16:16:22 +0000

So why do birds mimic? I am wondering what the evolutionary value is.

Do they do it for fun? Fun reduces stress. I’m sure birds feel stress.
Do they do it to fit in to their surroundings better?
Do they do it to practice their vocal capabilities?
Do they do it in attempt to communicate with another species?

I suppose that the regular “mockers” (mockingbirds, thrashers, catbirds) mock to create song. What can we make of the other instances?

I tend to lean towards fun.