Texas State Bird
What Is The Texas State Bird?
Known by a couple of different names, mostly dependent upon the region in which he is called on, the Texas state bird is the mockingbird. Nightingale as some would say, but few will argue about the vocal styling and capabilities of this talented songbird. The Texas state bird is also the crowned avian representative of Tennessee, Mississippi, Florida, and Arkansas. His migratory patterns find him to the south for the better part of each year, making him the clear candidate as the most visible, and audible, noise maker in the southern skies. The male of the species is said to have two very distinct song patterns, one for use during the spring and summer seasons, and the other for the shorter winter time days. The female sings most prominently during the fall, when the time arises for claiming territory to winter over. She also doesn’t sing as vibrantly and forcefully as the hammy male, but otherwise is exactly the same in both coloration and size.
The Texas state bird is a talented and astute mimicker, taking on and making his own the noises of not only other birds, but of car horns, squirrels, dogs, crickets, and even cats. He is a medium sized songbird who carries out absolutely no parenting responsibilities once his seed has been spread. The female, however, is a doting and faithful mother to her young, and usually raises three to four chicks in each clutch. The Texas state bird enjoys good, high cover, and will rarely set up shop near porches, awnings, or in covered human-built structures. The mockingbird is not considered as an ecological pest, and does no damage to his environment or that claimed by man. He once rubbed a sore spot in the working man’s slumber routine, and used to be fair game for gun play. He is protected and thriving these days, moving his patterned habitat a bit further north with each passing decade.
The mockingbird, or nightingale, is a pale gray color which is darker at the head and back. His underbelly is a lighter gray to white, and this color extends from the throat all the way to the tip of the tail. When in flight, the Texas state bird adorns two white blotching on his outstretched wings. Hopefully, you will no longer be puzzled if you hear a car horn from up on an electrical pole, or if you hear a dog barking from way up high in a willow tree. This is the game that the mockingbird plays, and if you listen for just a few more minutes, you will hear him spout off a minimum of ten more sounds, without missing a breath.