Maine-birds is an email forum devoted to the discussion of birds and birding in the state of Maine. The primary function of the list is to provide an efficient means of reporting wild bird sightings in the state.
Wednesday, 19 July 2023
Re: [Maine-birds] Mockingbird and Barn Swallow fledged - Benton - Unity Rd
Knight [1908] considered most Northern Mockingbird reports from ME likely to be escaped cage birds, despite the fact that the species bred, at least occasionally, in MA in the late 19th century (Griscom and Snyder 1955). Knight did consider a mockingbird in Portland Jan–Feb 1897 a likely natural vagrant.
Palmer (1949, 406) rejected the escaped cage bird theory, reporting that this species was "resident, of regular, though rare and local occurrence." He further noted there were >80 records from 1871–1947, with at least three nesting records: Leeds, Androscoggin Co., 1885; Bangor in 1930; and Corinna, Penobscot Co., in 1944. Interestingly, though probably a matter of inadequate reporting, there were apparently no observations of nesting in southern Maine at this time. Wright (1921) documented an increase in mockingbirds along the northern edge of the range in ME, n. New England, and Maritime Provinces in 1900–1920.
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And this, analysis of more recent data:
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While I'm at it, let me plug prize-winning Portland author Phillip Hoose's newest: "Duet: Our Journey in Song with the Northern Mockingbird." Hoose talks extensively about mockingbirds being kept as cage birds for the beauty of their songs, something I never knew before.
My point was that the presence of Mockingbirds has nothing to do with climate change, since they've been present since before the "global warming" hysteria began, like back when Congress was holding hearings on the upcoming ice age. Mockingbirds can handle cold weather. The one I first observed in Northern New Brunswick 40 years ago was in the middle of a harsh winter.
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