# My favorite songbird



## rubberpower (Aug 16, 2011)

A years worth of patience.


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## orcrender (Sep 11, 2010)

That is great. I have been dive bombed by that type of bird here during nesting season. We call them cat birds or mocking birds.


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## Hrawk (Oct 25, 2010)

Very nice.


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## rubberpower (Aug 16, 2011)

orcrender said:


> That is great. I have been dive bombed by that type of bird here during nesting season. We call them cat birds or mocking birds.


That is a Mockingbird. They are extremely intelligent. He would fly down to my hand outdoors. They can reconize people. When I would go outside he would follow me around but when others went out he would not come close. I could walk up to their nest and not have a problem but anyone else got close they were attacked. The female would never come close.


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## Tex-Shooter (Dec 17, 2009)

And they sing a great varity of songs. The mocker Is one of my favorites also! Have you ever watched them hunt in the grass? They will flare out there wings to scare bugs and grab them when they fly. The Cat Bird (named for dive bombing cats I think) is a member of the same family, but does not have as vocal a voice. The Cat Bird also has a more even gray color and a burnt otange patch on his butt. -- Tex


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## Litebow (Dec 17, 2011)

The Catbird has a call that sounds like a cat meowing. I've read thats where the name comes from. Thats really cool to be on such friendly terms with a Mockingbird.

Dave


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## rubberpower (Aug 16, 2011)

You can see in the photo the branch that is to the left of the bird. I would be sitting by the open window and he would sit on the branch and sing. We had to move and I really miss that bird.


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## Flatband (Dec 18, 2009)

That is so awesome Scott! They are extremely smart as are Crows. Something special for sure! Flatband


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## Tex-Shooter (Dec 17, 2009)

Hmmm, I don't know about being as smart as a crow. I have had a pet crow and she was amazing what she done, like help Mom pull little weeds from the flower bed without pulling flower plants. She also had a vocabulary of about 35 words and spoke them very plainly. She knew when I got off of work (a mile away) and would come to the station and ride the top of the car home. She enjoyed teasing the neighbor lady and the other neighbor's dog. She was free to come and go and I would open the small garage door at night and she would come in to roost on a perch that we made for her. When I left home she left and joined a small Murder of wild crows. I was back visiting with my folks about 3 years later and she came down with a big male to beg for a wiener. The male could say hello so it was probably someone else's pet that got away. I could tell a hundred stories about my Jim, actually Jamie (a female). A vet toold us that after we named her Jim. Here is a picture of a picture of her on Mom's arm when Jim was a young bird. That was about 1950. She stayed with us at my folk's home until about 1955.


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## Flatband (Dec 18, 2009)

SO COOL BUD! They are sharp for sure! Flatband


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## rubberpower (Aug 16, 2011)

I have always wanted to get a crow or raven but was never able to find one. Thanks for that great picture of the crow. BTW there was a movie called It's A Wonderful Life that had a pet raven in it.


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## Tex-Shooter (Dec 17, 2009)

When they just started exercise there wings a buddy of mine cut limbs the nest was on with a rifle, and then had to chase the 2 young crows around the woods to catch them. He brought be one. I trimmed the flight feathers on one side and 1/2 of the tail feather also so all Jim could do was fly around in small circles. You have to be carful not to get into the quick, so they will grow back out. By the time they grew out and with a lot of good food we were buddies for life. I am sure she is gone now as they don't live very long, But if she were alive, I would bet she would know me if we met. - Tex


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## The Gopher (Aug 25, 2010)

That is just so cool Tex!
When I was a kid the rising lake waters made a goose abandon it's nest, i took the eggs and incubated them with a heating pad and blankets. one of the 4 hatched. We named him Butch, and he was just like one of the family. We had a yellow lab at the time who was a great hunter but it was funny how she knew that butch was a pet. Butch would sleep with sandy (the lab) and nip her ears. what a fun time.


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## Smashtoad (Sep 3, 2010)

That is really cool. Mockingbirds are one of my favorites too.


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