What's Mississippi State Bird?
Learn about what's Mississippi state bird is - the Northern Mockingbird. Discover its significance in the state's wildlife and culture.
Author:Kelly HayesReviewer:Celeste PearlOct 31, 202343 Shares10.8K Views
The 32nd most significant state in the US by land size is Mississippi. It also has the 35th most people. The Mississippi River is what makes it famous, and the land is mostly a mix of low hills and flat plains. The White-tailed Deer is Mississippi’s state animal. What's Mississippi state bird?
The Northern mockingbird (Mimus Polyglottos) was chosen as the state bird of Mississippi. On February 23, 1944, Mississippi made it its state bird. There’s no need to push this medium-sized bird with long legs and a long tail to sing. During the winter, this bird usually stays in southern states. However, those that live in Mississippi usually stay there all year.
What's Mississippi State Bird?
The fantastic sounds that the Mississippi mockingbird makes can keep you entertained day or night. Here are six fascinating facts about the MS state bird:
They Are The King Of All Songbirds.
The formal name for the Northern Mockingbird is Mimus polyglottos, which means “mimic of many voices.” The music of this bird is very varied, just like its name. It has been compared to Beethoven and Kendrick Lamar.
These medium-sized birds can sing more than 200 different songs. They often copy the sounds of other birds, frogs, and even cars driving down the street. Their copies are so good that you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between them if you only heard them.
Chosen By The Federation Of Women’s Clubs
This federation started a state bird effort in the early 1940s and chose the mockingbird as the bird of choice. After some time, the Mississippi State Legislature agreed with it, and in the spring of 1944, the Governor signed the bill into law.
Its choice has been affected by its image of being unique, good at singing, and friendly. There are also a lot of things on the list that will help you understand what a mockingbird means. But the most important ones are copying, innocence, and safety.
Mating
While both males and females can sing, the male is better at both and does it more often. The males sing harder to get ready for mating season in the spring. Females, on the other hand, don’t sing as much during this season; they do sing in the fall. This activity by males helps them find mates to breed with because females like males who sing a range of songs.
What Does The State Bird Of Mississippi Look Like?
Male mockingbirds are more significant than females of the same species. On the outside, both men and women look alike. Their chests and upper bodies are gray, and their stomachs are a light gray or white color that contrasts with but complements the rest of their bodies. The bottom of these birds’ bills is brown, and the rest of the bill is black.
These birds are long and have enormous wings, but they don’t weigh much. In general, they get to be about 1.75 ounces heavy. The Northern mockingbird in Mississippi has a 14-inch wingspan and is 10 inches long from head to tail.
The US made it illegal to keep a mockingbird as a pet because living in prison cuts their lives short by a lot. Some mockingbirds can live up to 80 years in the wild but only 24 years when they are kept as pets.
Sections 703 and 707a of Title 16 of the US Code make it illegal to “chase, hunt, take, capture, kill, attempt to take, capture, or kill, possess... at any time, or in any manner, any migratory bird... or any part, nest, or egg of any such bird.”
How Do These Birds Behave?
People get the mockingbird’s songs wrong. When asked, most people think that the bird only copies other birds’ songs, but in fact, it only does that for 10% of its range. The mockingbird is smart enough to write its music as well as imitate the songs of other birds.
The average mockingbird sings more than 200 songs, which means that about 20 of them were written by other birds. The bird itself wrote the other 180. These intelligent birds also know how to play musical instruments like the piano and understand music made by people and other animals, like dogs.
The bird can also hear noises in cities, like horns and gates. The mockingbird does this a few times to decide if it wants to make up a song based on the sound. If they can make the sound again by copying the bird, they will use it to write a new tune.
A lot of birds sing early in the morning, but the mockingbird hangs out with night owls. There is singing from the sparrow at night. In the spring, the birds like to hold shows under the moonlight.
A sparrow won’t sound the same, either. Every day, these birds put together a different mix. This mix could have some or all of its songs in it. If you can’t see the mockingbird, you might think the song of another bird is it. Each bird writes its songs, so each bird’s mix is different.
Cultural Affect Of Mockingbird In Mississippi
In Mississippi, the Northern Mockingbird has an extensive and varied effect on culture. This state bird has become an essential part of Mississippi’s culture, affecting writing, music, art, and even how people see and interact with their surroundings. Let’s look into how the mockingbird has changed Mississippian culture.
Literary Significance
The Northern Mockingbird is an essential character in Mississippi’s long history of writing. Influential writers from the state, like Eudora Welty, William Faulkner, and Richard Ford, have used this bird as a source of ideas to give their works more depth and meaning. Mississippi writing often uses the bird as a theme because of its beautiful songs and as a sign of freedom, innocence, and the human spirit.
Musical Influence
The Northern Mockingbird has also left its mark on music in Mississippi. Blues and folk artists have written songs about this bird, which adds to its cultural importance. Blues music has its roots in Mississippi, and its songs are often about love, freedom, and the problems that people face in their daily lives. These themes go well with the mockingbird’s beautiful songs and its ability to sound like other birds.
Folklore And Legends
The Northern Mockingbird has also been a part of myths and stories from Mississippi. Children and grandchildren have heard stories about the bird’s beautiful songs and its place in nature. People often tell stories about how the bird can bring happiness and luck, which shows how important it is to their culture.
Community And Identity
People in Mississippi feel like they belong and are part of a group when they see mockingbirds. Birdwatching is a popular activity in the state, and Northern Mockingbird fans often get together to talk about what they’ve seen and heard. People in Mississippi are closer to each other and more culturally aware because they all love the state bird.
Educational Significance
The Northern Mockingbird is vital to Mississippi society in more ways than just art and song. In addition, it can be used to learn. People in Mississippi’s schools and wildlife centers often study this bird as part of their lessons. Not only does studying the bird’s behavior, environment, and protection teach kids valuable things, but it also ties them with the natural history of their state.
Fun Facts About Mockingbird
The Northern Mockingbird is very good at imitating other birds - This bird is fantastic because it can sound like dozens or even hundreds of other bird types. Some people have more than 200 different kinds of songs. Some of these are the calls of wrens, woodpeckers, chickadees, and many other bird species, as well as machine noises. A study also found that mockingbirds can sound like twelve different kinds of frogs and toads!
Northern Mockingbirds are intelligent birds - A study done in 2009 showed that they can remember faces, especially those that they think are a danger or an intruder.
Northern Mockingbirds are famous - This well-known species has been in movies, songs, and stories.
The Northern Mockingbird is the state bird of 5 states - Not only is it the state bird of Mississippi, but also of Arkansas, Florida, Tennessee, and Texas. In Texas, this bird was chosen in part because it fights to protect its home “like any true Texas.”
Historically, the Northern Mockingbird only lived in southern states - After the Asian Multiflora Rose was brought to the USA, this flexible bird moved farther north. Northern Mockingbirds could find more food and places to nest as the rose grew in more places.
This species used to be a valuable pet - Before it became illegal, hundreds of mockingbirds were caught, put in boxes, and sold for significant amounts of money in the 1800s. Because they could sing so well, they were valued as cage birds.
Northern Mockingbirds nest several times in one breeding season - This animal can build seven nests in one summer!
Northern Mockingbirds also sing at night - Males who don’t have mates can sing for hours in the middle of the night when the moon is out.
Female Northern Mockingbirds also sing - In the fall, female mockingbirds sing quiet songs to mark their winter ranges. They don’t sing as much or as loudly as males, but they do sing.
Other Popular Birds In Mississippi
The thirty species below are thirty of the most common and well-known birds in Mississippi, based on breeding bird counts and other data.
- Cliff Swallow- When they migrate, they can be seen above all habitats.
- Red-winged Blackbird - See in marshes and fields with a lot of weeds.
- Northern Cardinal - It lives in fields and second growth, and it also comes to feeders.
- Indigo Bunting- In the summer, it lives in second growth and on the edge of forests.
- Mourning Dove- It lives in all kinds of places and comes to feeders.
- American Crow - A loud bird that lives in cities and all other places.
- Tufted Titmouse- It can be seen and heard a lot in forests, parks, gardens, and at the feeder.
- Blue Jay- This bird often lives in forests, parks, backyards, and feeders.
- Red-bellied Woodpecker - This species lives in forests, parks, and cities, and it can also be seen at feeders.
- Carolina Wren- A bird that lives in forests and wooded gardens.
- Dickcissel - Living in weedy areas during the summer.
- Northern Mockingbird- A species that lives in lots of open spaces, like parks, towns, and other cities.
- White-eyed Vireo - Often seen and heard in thickets and second growth in the summer.
- Barn Swallow- During the summer, it lives in fields, farms, and other open areas.
- Brown-headed Cowbird - This species lives everywhere, but it is most common on farms.
- Yellow-breasted Chat - A summer dweller in thick second growth that is loud but stays to itself.
- Red-eyed Vireo- A loud dweller of rural places during the summer.
- European Starling- This species is common in cities, on farms, and in other open spaces.
- Summer Tanager- During the summer, it lives in oak forests and other wooded areas.
- Wood Thrush - A species that lives in forests and moves south for the winter.
- Blue-gray Gnatcatcher- This bird usually lives in forests and moves south in the fall.
- Great Egret- Often seen in a lot of different types of marsh areas.
- Carolina Chickadee- an everyday bird that you can see at feeders, parks, and other green areas.
- Cattle Egret- It lives in open areas with cows a lot of the time.
- Eastern Towhee - A type of second-growth and forest edge tree.
- Acadian Flycatcher- This species lives in forests during the summer.
- Great Crested Flycatcher- From spring to fall, this bird lives in parks and wooded places.
- Eastern Wood-Pewee- A typical summer dweller of many types of wooded areas.
- Purple Martin- From spring to fall, this big swallow species can be found in places where martins have built nests.
What's Mississippi State Bird - FAQs
What Is A Mississippi State Bird?
Mississippi’s state bird is the Northern Mockingbird.
What Is Mississippi’s State Bird, And Why?
It was designated as the state bird due to its melodic songs and its significance in literature and culture.
Why Is The Mississippi State Bird The Mockingbird?
The mockingbird is celebrated for its mimicry skills.
What Is The State Bird Of Mississippi For Kids?
Mississippi is a popular topic for kids learning about Mississippi’s state symbols.
Conclusion
So, what's mississippi state bird? It’s the Northern Mockingbird, a small yet melodious creature that has captured the hearts and imaginations of the people of Mississippi. This unassuming bird has a remarkable impact on the culture, literature, and conservation efforts in the state. With its beautiful songs and ability to mimic other sounds, the Northern Mockingbird is a fitting symbol for a state known for its rich cultural heritage and natural beauty.
Kelly Hayes
Author
Kelly Hayes is a seasoned journalist with over 10 years of experience, specializing in news reporting and horoscope analysis. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Journalism from New York University, enhancing her credibility and expertise in the field.
Kelly's writing style is characterized by clarity, depth, and a commitment to delivering credible information. Her published works across various platforms showcase her knack for engaging storytelling and insightful analysis.
Readers trust Kelly's expertise in both current events and astrological interpretations, making her a sought-after authority in journalism.
Apart from her professional activities, Kelly enjoys exploring new cultures, practicing yoga, and engaging in philanthropic activities.
Celeste Pearl
Reviewer
Celeste Pearl is an accomplished writer and expert in numerology, astrology, and spirituality.
With a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and over 6 years of writing experience, Celeste brings a wealth of expertise to her articles, making complex topics accessible and engaging for readers.
Her passion for metaphysical sciences is evident in her insightful content, where she explores the depths of these subjects with clarity and depth.
Beyond her professional pursuits, Celeste enjoys delving into spiritual practices and connecting with nature for inspiration.
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