The Texas State Bird

The mockingbird is the state bird of Texas. Most States in the United States of America have a State bird associated with it. The State of Texas too has a bird associated with it. The Texas State Bird is known as the Mocking Bird. Scientifically, the mocking bird is known as the mimus polyglottos. It is about ten inches in length, including its reasonably long tail. It has a shade of light grayish coat and a whitish underside. The wings and the tail of the Texas State Bird are of a darker shade of gray with white patches on it.

If you ask any Texan, he or she will undoubtedly tell you just how beautiful the song of the bird is in comparison to any other native North American bird. Probably that is the core reason as to why the mocking bird was accepted as the Texas State Bird in 1927.

Recommended by the Texas Federation of Women's Clubs, the mockingbird was adopted as the official bird for the state of Texas by an act of the Legislature, which was then approved on January 31st, 1927. The reason as to why the mockingbird was selected as the certified state bird for Texas was for numerous reasons. Firstly, the bird is found in all parts of Texas. Secondly, ornithologists, musicians, educators and Texans coming from all walks of life fuse together in asserting the Mockingbird to be the most appropriate specie for the state of Texas. And most importantly, the Texas Federation of Women's Clubs named the Mockingbird as the State bird of Texas and asked the Fortieth Legislature to adopt it.

The ordinary mockingbird is a fabulous songbird and mimic. The mockingbird's song is pleasant to the ears and is rhythmic. Sometimes it sings all night long, particularly during springtime moonlight. The mated males sing less than the unmated ones. Amazingly both the male and the female birds sing during the time of fall to call upon winter feeding territories. These locations are commonly different that their spring breeding territories.

The song of the Texas State Bird is more like a melody of the calls of various other kinds of birds; each melody is continual for several times. The mockingbird also imitates sounds that it hears from other species, pianos, sirens, barking of dogs, etc. Each replication is repeated two or three times, then another song is begun, all of this in a hasty sequence. The Texas State Bird is also known as a ferocious guardian of its nest and environment. Many times people have seen the mockingbird to swoop down on a dog; cat or predator that may be coming too close to the bird's protected territory, thus making it a fighter for the protection of its home, falling if need be, in its defense; like any true Texan.