{"id":138390,"date":"2024-12-29T02:41:12","date_gmt":"2024-12-29T08:41:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=138390"},"modified":"2024-12-28T09:41:12","modified_gmt":"2024-12-28T15:41:12","slug":"one-very-territorial-northern-mockingbird","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/12\/29\/one-very-territorial-northern-mockingbird\/","title":{"rendered":"One Very Territorial Northern Mockingbird"},"content":{"rendered":"

Over the past several weeks, this Northern Mockingbird has grown increasingly territorial at my friend Steve Creek’s bird feeders<\/span><\/a>. It has become a terror bird!<\/p>\n

\"StaringStaring Northern Mockingbird at a feeder \u2013 Canon R7, f8, 1\/60, ISO 800, Canon 100-400mm at 340mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

For a while, she or he was not attacking the Carolina Wrens or Carolina Chickadees. Now, though, she or he flies in and chases off every bird that shows up near the feeder and birdbath.<\/p>\n

The mockingbird once flew so close to Steve that he could feel the air move beside his head.<\/p>\n

That kind of aggressive territorial behavior was something I got used to while living in Florida, but that was during<\/em> the nesting season. It is not nesting season here for mockingbirds and won’t be for several months.<\/p>\n

This mockingbird waits patiently, often staying out of sight, hidden in the trees. When an unsuspecting bird flies in to grab something to eat, the mockingbird swoops in and chases them away.<\/p>\n

The Northern Mockingbird is acting like a jerk. I may have to name this individual mockingbird, Mockzilla<\/strong>! She or he has earned that nickname.<\/p>\n

Suet and mealworms are the only food I have seen this mockingbird eat, but that doesn\u2019t stop the mocker from chasing away others at the seed feeders, birdbath, or even those eating seeds on the ground.<\/p>\n

I’m seriously half-expecting the mockingbird to dive at me when I’m in the yard or garden. The stare I got while photographing her or him could have sent chills down my spine.<\/p>\n

Maybe Steve and I should start filming the mockingbird when they fly in. We could co-produce a show for TV or YouTube and call it “When Mockzilla Attacks – The World Turns”<\/em> or something equally silly.<\/p>\n

This is the kind of birdy drama that makes me laugh.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/a><\/span> to see more of my Northern Mockingbird photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Over the past several weeks, this Northern Mockingbird has grown increasingly territorial at my friend Steve Creek’s bird feeders. It has become a terror bird!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":138387,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[13950,818,13951],"tags":[1996,13981,13931,821,820,6814,5719,4192,4104,5875,15824,373,13966],"class_list":["post-138390","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arkansas","category-northern-mockingbird","category-sebastian-county","tag-driftwood","tag-feeder","tag-garden","tag-mimids-2","tag-mimus-polyglottos","tag-mockingbird","tag-mockingbirds","tag-northern-mockingbird","tag-perched","tag-staring","tag-suburban","tag-winter","tag-yard"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/northern-mockingbird-staring-mia-mcpherson-0357.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-A06","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":128384,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/05\/18\/soaking-wet-northern-mockingbird\/","url_meta":{"origin":138390,"position":0},"title":"Soaking Wet Northern Mockingbird","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 18, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Wet Northern Mockingbird. Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these birds from singing or coming to feed at my friend Steve Creek's feeders.","rel":"","context":"In "Arkansas"","block_context":{"text":"Arkansas","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/arkansas\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Wet Northern Mockingbird in Arkansas, Sebastian County, Arkansas","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/northern-mockingbird-adult-wet-mia-mcpherson-8647.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/northern-mockingbird-adult-wet-mia-mcpherson-8647.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/northern-mockingbird-adult-wet-mia-mcpherson-8647.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/northern-mockingbird-adult-wet-mia-mcpherson-8647.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":138823,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2025\/01\/17\/mockzilla-the-northern-mockingbird-in-snow\/","url_meta":{"origin":138390,"position":1},"title":"Mockzilla The Northern Mockingbird In Snow","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 17, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Mockzilla, the extremely territorial Northern Mockingbird, was great fun to photograph during the recent snowstorm in Arkansas because she or he seemed calmer.","rel":"","context":"In "Arkansas"","block_context":{"text":"Arkansas","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/arkansas\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Northern Mockingbird in an Arkansas snowstorm, Sebastian County","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/northern-mockingbird-snowy-mia-mcpherson-8841.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/northern-mockingbird-snowy-mia-mcpherson-8841.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/northern-mockingbird-snowy-mia-mcpherson-8841.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/northern-mockingbird-snowy-mia-mcpherson-8841.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":141614,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2025\/03\/14\/update-on-mockzilla-the-mockingbird\/","url_meta":{"origin":138390,"position":2},"title":"Update On Mockzilla The Mockingbird","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 14, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"I\u2019ve been wanting to do an update on the very territorial Northern Mockingbird I\u2019ve called Mockzilla because of the seasonal changes happening now.","rel":"","context":"In "Arkansas"","block_context":{"text":"Arkansas","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/arkansas\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Feisty Northern Mockingbird, Sebastian County, Arkansas","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/northern-mockingbird-mockzilla-mia-mcpherson-7751.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/northern-mockingbird-mockzilla-mia-mcpherson-7751.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/northern-mockingbird-mockzilla-mia-mcpherson-7751.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/northern-mockingbird-mockzilla-mia-mcpherson-7751.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":127718,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/04\/20\/spring-northern-mockingbird-photos-from-arkansas\/","url_meta":{"origin":138390,"position":3},"title":"Spring Northern Mockingbird Photos From Arkansas","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 20, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"At my friend Steve Creek's home, I listen to a Northern Mockingbird sing around the clock. The mockingbird sings practically all the time, day and night.","rel":"","context":"In "Arkansas"","block_context":{"text":"Arkansas","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/arkansas\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Northern Mockingbird at a birdbath, Sebastian County, Arkansas","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/northern-mockingbird-arkansas-spring-mia-mcpherson-5469.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/northern-mockingbird-arkansas-spring-mia-mcpherson-5469.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/northern-mockingbird-arkansas-spring-mia-mcpherson-5469.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/northern-mockingbird-arkansas-spring-mia-mcpherson-5469.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":137188,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/12\/01\/northern-mockingbird-on-suet-feeder-plus-a-video\/","url_meta":{"origin":138390,"position":4},"title":"Northern Mockingbird On Suet Feeder Plus A Video","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"December 1, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Today, I'm sharing a simple Northern Mockingbird photo along with a video I took last month in Arkansas. I'm glad these birds are year-round residents here.","rel":"","context":"In "Arkansas"","block_context":{"text":"Arkansas","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/arkansas\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Northern Mockingbird perched on a driftwood suet feeder, Sebastian County, Arkansas","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/northern-mockingbird-november-mia-mcpherson-8383.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/northern-mockingbird-november-mia-mcpherson-8383.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/northern-mockingbird-november-mia-mcpherson-8383.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/northern-mockingbird-november-mia-mcpherson-8383.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":131286,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/07\/27\/photographing-a-young-northern-mockingbird\/","url_meta":{"origin":138390,"position":5},"title":"Photographing A Young Northern Mockingbird","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 27, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"I was delighted yesterday when I had the chance to photograph a young Northern Mockingbird that landed in a nearby oak tree. Naturally, I took photos.","rel":"","context":"In "Arkansas"","block_context":{"text":"Arkansas","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/arkansas\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Young Northern Mockingbird in Arkansas, Sebastian County","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/northern-mockingbird-immature-arkansas-mia-mcpherson-6421.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/northern-mockingbird-immature-arkansas-mia-mcpherson-6421.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/northern-mockingbird-immature-arkansas-mia-mcpherson-6421.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/northern-mockingbird-immature-arkansas-mia-mcpherson-6421.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/138390","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=138390"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/138390\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/138387"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=138390"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=138390"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=138390"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}