In previous Bird Lore articles, I focused on the wood warblers that winter in the American tropics, then migrate north to breed in our forests in abundance. Here I want to highlight three species of specialized songbirds that inhabit our lowlands: fields, pastures, wooded edges and even residential areas with shrubby vegetation. They are all members of the family Mimidae: the northern mockingbird, gray catbird and brown thrasher.

This family of songbirds all have a superior vocal apparatus called the syrinx, as Mary Morrison explained in a Bird Lore article a couple years ago. And their syrinx structure, at the juncture of the trachea and two bronchii, is capable of making different sounds from vibrations near the two bronchii independently.

Their long and varied songs function to attract mates (females make choices based on male song complexity among other factors) as well as defend territory from rival males. A key difference from other songbirds is their ability to mimic the sounds they hear in their environment, often those of other birds. Just listen to a catbird, for example. If you don’t have one of these mimids in your backyard and just want to hear what they sound like, Google “Catbird song” or “Brown thrasher song” and plenty of recordings on YouTube in particular will pop up to listen to. I don’t need to tell that to local birders, many of whom have birdsong apps on their mobile devices. There are about 30 species in the family Mimidae, found exclusively in the Americas.

Mockingbirds are near the northern limit of their range as permanent residents here in the northern tier of Pennsylvania, but the catbird and thrasher withdraw to the southeastern U. S. for winter. I first see them in late April or early May. The thrasher gets its name from the habit of thrashing leaves and debris on the ground to his side in search of invertebrate prey. I know he’s out there when I hear that commotion, often making the edge of my yard quite messy, but I don’t really mind when he pays me back with his delightful singing.

PHOTO PROVIDED A mockingbird is pictured.

Look and listen for the mockingbird, catbird and brown thrasher in back yards near woods with brushy habitats and along fence rows in rural areas and farmlands. They are beautiful singers, and they even moved me to write the following poem about the thrasher from my winter home in Florida:

“Spring Chorus”

With the Ides of March approaching

And winter’s grip still here,

What song could I be hearing

PHOTO PROVIDED A brown thrasher is shown.

Across the lawn so clear?

Yes, it’s the wiley thrasher

Declaring spring’s quite near.

Step outside, this sunny morning

And his song you’ll surely hear!

Pairs of musical phrases,

No repeats ever heard;

A repertoire that seems too large

For the likeness of a bird!

My mood has changed to joyfulness

As he belts out relentlessly:

Spring is here in Florida!

Pennsylvania? We shall see…

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Bob is an ecologist retired from the USGS research facility near Wellsboro. He is a member of the Tiadaghton Audubon Society. He is the Tioga County coordinator for Pennsylvania’s 3rd Bird Atlas and is now accepting participants at any level of experience. FMI contact Bob at rmross4@gmail.com.

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BIRD LORE is produced by the Lycoming Audubon Society (serving Lycoming and Clinton Counties), Seven Mountains Audubon (serving Union, Snyder, Northumberland, Montour and Columbia Counties) and Tiadaghton Audubon Society (serving Tioga and Potter Counties). Information about these National Audubon Society chapters can be found at www.lycomingaudubon.blogspot.com and www.sevenmountainsaudubon.org and www.tiadaghtonaudubon.blogspot.com.