# I have a mockingbird living in the tree right outside my bedroom window
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-mockingbird-living-in-the-tree-right-outside-my-bedroom-window/619372
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [April 20, 2012, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-mockingbird-living-in-the-tree-right-outside-my-bedroom-window/619372 "2012-04-20T04:11:44Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2012, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-mockingbird-living-in-the-tree-right-outside-my-bedroom-window/619372/1 "2012-04-20T04:11:44Z")
The Wikipedia article on the bird says that they often have over fifty songs in their repertoire. This one does, and he sings every single one for me, starting every night at midnight.
This has been going on for a week.
I hope he finds a girlfriend soon.
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### Author:  [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2012, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-mockingbird-living-in-the-tree-right-outside-my-bedroom-window/619372/2 "2012-04-20T04:13:49Z")
Just, whatever you do, don’t mock him. It annoys him, and kills the mood.
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### Author:  [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2012, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-mockingbird-living-in-the-tree-right-outside-my-bedroom-window/619372/3 "2012-04-20T05:01:52Z")
The book, “To Kill a Mockingbird”, is not a how-to manual. I read the whole damn thing and couldn’t find the instructions anywhere.
Just so you know.
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### Author:  [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2012, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-mockingbird-living-in-the-tree-right-outside-my-bedroom-window/619372/4 "2012-04-20T12:49:00Z")
You are so lucky. We used to have one and I loved how it sang in the summer nights.
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### Author:  [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2012, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-mockingbird-living-in-the-tree-right-outside-my-bedroom-window/619372/5 "2012-04-20T13:55:36Z")
My sympathies. You’d think listening to them that they’re eagle sized, wouldn’t you?
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### Author:  [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2012, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-mockingbird-living-in-the-tree-right-outside-my-bedroom-window/619372/6 "2012-04-20T14:06:28Z")
They don’t stop singing when they find a mate. It actually gets worse after that point, because then they’ve got territory and babies to defend. I’d say you’ve got about another three weeks or so until the babies are grown. And then they’ll start another brood. Hopefully somewhere else.
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### Author:  [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2012, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-mockingbird-living-in-the-tree-right-outside-my-bedroom-window/619372/7 "2012-04-20T14:09:41Z")
They can make some racket. However, their repetoir is so large and jazzy, we call them Ella Fitzgerald birds.
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### Author:  [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2012, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-mockingbird-living-in-the-tree-right-outside-my-bedroom-window/619372/8 "2012-04-20T18:24:09Z")
Ha, earlier this week a crow flew practically right over my head carrying a snake in its bill, and landed on a nearby tree branch to enjoy its meal.
Nature is grand.
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### Author:  [@Shark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shark)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2012, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-mockingbird-living-in-the-tree-right-outside-my-bedroom-window/619372/9 "2012-04-20T18:29:14Z")
I had one living in some trees in our back yard last year that had learned to mimic the chirp sound of a car alarm being activated.
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### Author:  [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2012, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-mockingbird-living-in-the-tree-right-outside-my-bedroom-window/619372/10 "2012-04-20T19:16:37Z")
I had a [chuck-will’s-widow](http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Chuck-wills-widow/sounds) doing that once. Kept me up all night.
Learned what he was, changed my perspective, and the next year when he did it again, I simply let him serenade me to sleep.
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### Author:  [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2012, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-mockingbird-living-in-the-tree-right-outside-my-bedroom-window/619372/11 "2012-04-20T19:32:16Z")
So, what else is Daddy going to buy you?
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### Author:  [@wei\_ji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wei_ji)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2012, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-mockingbird-living-in-the-tree-right-outside-my-bedroom-window/619372/12 "2012-04-20T21:15:21Z")
Back in the 1980’s, when I first visited my sister in the Silicon Valley area of California, there was a mocking bird in the neighborhood. He would fly from perch to perch at night and sing his long and complex song.
Coming from Alaska, I had to ask my sister, “What the hell is THAT?” (We have the Varied Thrush, whose spring song is eerie and rare.)
It was warm at night so we kept the upstairs windows of the guest room open, and at first I enjoyed the long hours of singing as an exotic treat. After a few days, I closed the windows and sweltered.
In the movie, HEAT, there is a scene where career criminal, Neil (Robert DeNiro), is trying to talk commercial artist, Eadie (Amy Brennerman), into going with him into retirement in New Zealand, the two of them alone in an empty highway pull-over at night. In the background, you can hear a mockingbird singing. I’ve always wondered if that was inserted by the director, Michael Mann, or just a happenstance that he kept in the film.
Yes, I like Mockingbirds too, but there is with them too much of a good thing.
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### Author:  [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2012, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-mockingbird-living-in-the-tree-right-outside-my-bedroom-window/619372/13 "2012-04-21T02:08:26Z")
try having half a dozen [guinea fowls](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_B2lMEyBsk) living in the bushes outside the bedroom window.
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### Author:  [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2012, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-mockingbird-living-in-the-tree-right-outside-my-bedroom-window/619372/14 "2012-04-21T02:27:28Z")
Try Crows. Yes, that was plural. Every goddam morning they roost on our neighbor’s tree (right outside my bedroom window) and start their (screeching? Does that work for y’all) screeching.
A very rude alarm clock! ☹
Q
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### Author:  [@secretsmile36](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/secretsmile36)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2012, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-mockingbird-living-in-the-tree-right-outside-my-bedroom-window/619372/15 "2012-04-21T16:01:42Z")
ever read To Kill a Mockingbird?
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### Author:  [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)
#### Post date: [April 22, 2012, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-mockingbird-living-in-the-tree-right-outside-my-bedroom-window/619372/16 "2012-04-22T01:44:25Z")
> [@aruvqan](#):
>
> try having half a dozen [guinea fowls](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_B2lMEyBsk) living in the bushes outside the bedroom window.
[I have.](http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z300/romansperson/guineahens.jpg) It did not suit.
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### Author:  [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)
#### Post date: [April 22, 2012, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-mockingbird-living-in-the-tree-right-outside-my-bedroom-window/619372/17 "2012-04-22T03:31:07Z")
I’ve got a nest of baby sparrows inside my Christmas light ball hanging from my front porch. Fortunately, they don’t sing.
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### Author:  [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)
#### Post date: [April 22, 2012, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-mockingbird-living-in-the-tree-right-outside-my-bedroom-window/619372/18 "2012-04-22T04:12:52Z")
A mockingbird once took up residence outside my parents’ bedroom window and learned to mimic the distinctive ringtone of their phone. For awhile, we thought we were getting a LOT of hang-up phone calls. :smack:
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### Author:  [@Gleena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gleena)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2012, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-mockingbird-living-in-the-tree-right-outside-my-bedroom-window/619372/19 "2012-04-23T01:43:31Z")
Lorikeets. (Rosellas - are these the same bird? Green/red/blue/yellow squabbling parrot things.)
Or Cockatoos.
Sometimes both at once.
I used to love parrots. :mad:
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### Author:  [@living\_in\_hell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/living_in_hell)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2012, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-mockingbird-living-in-the-tree-right-outside-my-bedroom-window/619372/20 "2012-04-23T01:52:09Z")
> [@Dallas\_Jones](#):
>
> The book, “To Kill a Mockingbird”, is not a how-to manual. I read the whole damn thing and couldn’t find the instructions anywhere.
>
> Just so you know.
Sinner!!!
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