The Catbird is named for its cat-like meow call, which is given when predators are present and during agressive encounters between birds. The Catbird's song is a long series of many phrases including imitations of other birds. The Gray Catbird is not as gifted a mimic as the Northern Mockingbird. (Recorded in Albany County, New York.)
Habitat: Tangles, shrubbery, wood edges. Suburban and rural.
The mockingbird's song is composed of phrases repeated 2-6 or occasionally more times. The song is used by males to establish a breeding territory in the spring and by males and females to establish a feeding territory in the fall. The birds sing from exposed perches, and unmated males may sing at night. A loud and vigorous singer, the mockingbird is an excellent mimic of other bird's songs, and it may include bits of non-avian sounds in its repertoire. The poet Mary Oliver has written that she played songs by Mahler to a Mockingbird and "now a little Mahler spills through the sputter of his song". (Saratoga County, New York)
Habitat: Open areas with dense shrubbery. Suburbs.
Male has an enormous repertoire of songs -- greater than 1500. He usually repeats each song phrase once. That is, he sings a long series of mostly doublet songs that he rarely repeats. Here is a section of an extended bout of singing. (Albany County, New York.)
Habitat: Hedgerows, brush in open areas, edges of woods.
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