Many of the phrases are whistled, but mockingbirds also make sharp rasps, scolds, and trills. These are highly intelligent birds which can mimic many different sounds. Facts regarding the Northern Mockingbird. Onomatopoeia in To Kill a Mockingbird. Do they have "their own song"? The Northern Mockingbird is the only mockingbird that lives in Maryland although the Loggerhead Shrike is often mistaken for it. Their song is anything they hear and can pick up. The mockingbird is well known for mimicking many sounds. Why Do Mockingbirds Mimic Other Birds? I have over 11 minutes of audio taken with my cell phone, so not extremely clean, but this particular bird likes to keep me up at night and has a repertoire of atleast 15-20 different alternating sounds. He wanted to know how to make it stop.. I didn't know that! Perhaps we can also infer that Scout is 'caged' by her naiveté. by Daniel ... Mockingbirds, however, take most of their sounds from the environment, sometimes from other mockingbirds, and always including a range of other bird vocalizations. Harper Lee uses onomatopoeia throughout her novel To Kill a Mockingbird in a way that helps readers connect with the story. These mockingbirds are best known for their unique ability to mock many different sounds, including those of other birds. They can sing up to about 200 songs and can make sounds like insects and amphibians. The mockingbird could also represent the innocence of childhood which is ‘killed’ in various ways for the children, Scout, Jem and Dill. But something not usually stressed is that the mockingbird is an imitator which has no song of its own and simply copies the music of others. The northern mockingbird is a world-famous singer, considered finer even than the famous nightingale of Europe. Mockingbirds are amazing mimics, and this is what makes them special. Since it takes time for a male mockingbird to learn an array of calls, the females may simply be using their ears to find a more mature and experienced mate. Do mockingbirds have their own specific song or are they mimicking other birds’ songs? Like other authors, she uses onomatopoeia not only to describe the sounds the characters make and hear in the story, but also to change the mood and tone of the novel. They can also imitate sounds like a barking dog, farm animals and a squeaky hinge. Listen to the Mockingbird. The song is a long series of phrases, with each phrase repeated 2-6 times before shifting to a new sound; the songs can go on for 20 seconds or more. The mockingbird's latin name is Mimus polyglottos, which literally translates to “many-tongued mimic.” A polyglot is a person who speaks many languages, referencing the bird’s ability to imitate sounds … The mockingbird is well known for mimicking many sounds. Song mimicry has always posed a bit of a puzzle to ornithologists. The northern mockingbird is one variety of many different species of mockingbirds. While both birds (male and female) sing, it is the male of the species which does most of it whether during courtship or just for the plain joy of making songs which can last all … They go on learning new sounds throughout their lives. Northern mockingbirds are typically gray, black, and white in color. A reader emailed me that a mockingbird sings close to his house at night and keeps him awake. They can sing up to about 200 songs and can make sounds like insects and amphibians. We have a Northern Mockingbird in our yard in Bryant, AL.