It is not quiet in the day-time, but then shows its powers in a different way. It is this that gives it the name of mocking bird, for it has a wonderful power of taking up the songs of other birds, imitating them so exactly as to cheat the ears of all that listen. Now it takes up the song of one bird, now of another, and fills the air with its fine mockery. By night, when other birds are apt to be still, it keeps to its sweet native song, but by day takes delight in its strange faculty of imitation. Not only does it repeat musical tones, but also the harshest tones it hears, making of it all a strange medley.
The Mocking Bird. No other Bird has such Versatile Vocal Powers
This is seen in a striking way when the mocking bird is caged. Then it mocks the many sounds around it. It will bark like a dog, mew like a cat, crow like a cock, cackle like a hen, creak like a wheelbarrow, and take up a host of varied sounds. And while doing this it spreads its wings, expands its tail, and throws itself about the cage as if it was having the best time of its life. It can be easily taught to whistle a tune of some length, but never seems to imitate the voice of man.
It rarely, however, sings as well in the cage as in its free state. The wild bird seems to like to be near man and often builds its nest in a tree or bush close to a house. While the female bird is sitting the male is very wide-awake and shows the greatest courage in driving enemies away from the nest. In the brooding season they will often gather in flocks and fight off birds of prey of much larger size. A snake that comes too near is killed by a quick series of blows on the head, and the cat soon finds that it is best to keep away from the mocking bird's nest.
There is another bird of the same family that dwells much farther north, being common as far north as Massachusetts. It has powers of imitation like those of the mocking bird and a sweet song of its own, but when disturbed gives vent to a sharp, mew-like cry from which it has got the name of Cat-bird. Like the Mocking bird, it builds its nest near man and makes no attempt to hide it, but fights off enemies with a like boldness. No one thinks of caging this bird, for its cat-call is not at all pleasant and has given it a bad name, but its song is pleasing to our ears.
OTHER CAGED SONGSTERS
The smaller birds are often so bright and beautiful and have such musical voices, that many of them are made tenants of the cage. Here they do not seem sad or mournful, but are likely to make themselves much at home.
There is the Bullfinch, a nervous, uneasy fellow, always in a flutter, yet easy to keep in cage life and ready to raise a family in captivity. These birds are at once beautiful and tuneful. In color they are as handsome as many of the birds of the tropics, while they can be taught a variety of bird airs. They need to be coaxed, and their tutor must use the same coaxing words and gestures and even wear the same coat when he gives his bird its lessons. But a well-taught bird brings a high price and it pays the poor folks of parts of Europe to spend much time in teaching them.