BACKYARD SECRET – THE MOCKINGBIRD’S FEEDING TERRITORY CHANGES IN WINTER
backyardwildlifeconnection by Terry W.Johnson
The northern mockingbird is a welcomed sight in most backyards throughout the state. However, although the mockingbird is a permanent resident, sometimes they disappear from our yards during the winter. In some cases, the reason for this may be that mockingbirds alter the size of the size of their feeding territory according to the weather.
Studies conducted in North Carolina’s Piedmont found that the territories defended by these feisty birds actually shrank by more than half during extremely cold weather from October through December. The birds’ territories then increased a bit in January. By the time spring arrived, the territories had grown to encompass those areas they vacated during the winter.
Biologists believe that a prime reason for mockingbird territories shrinking during the winter is that the smaller the territory the less energy a bird has to expend to defend its food supply. In the case of the mockingbird, a key food component in a territory is the availability of fruits and berries.
