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Ryan An Analysis of Mockingbird Nesting Behavior in Residential Areas
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Continued...
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Analysis
 Chart: Feeding Schedule (Click to view) I did some research to determine the normal feeding patterns of the mockingbird. James Coe states that the incubation period lasts 12 to 13 days, and that the chicks are fed up to five times per hour. Similarly, Randall Breitwisch (1986) and other researchers found that the nesting period was 12 days, and that the parents brought food to nestlings on most trips to the nest. These findings are consistent with my data. Further research by Breitwisch (1989) found that feeding rates peak during the middle of the nesting period. This, too, is consistent with my data. |
 Fledglings almost ready to leave the nest. On April 6 the fledglings left the nest. I went outside to check on the camera and saw a juvenile bird hopping along the ground. When I looked in the nest, I saw that all four juveniles had left. I watched as the four juvenile birds disappeared into the wooded lot next to our house. Over the next few days, I saw the juvenile birds flying around the neighborhood, and they now hunt in our backyard. Conclusion When I began this project, I was sure that all the activity near the birds' nest was bound to affect their behavior; the question was whether the birds could adapt to the disruptions and manage to provide their nestlings with the same level of feeding and protection that would be expected in a more natural habitat. Based upon my observations, the adult birds' feeding and nest-sitting activity was consistent with what other researchers have observed in more remote environments. This leads me to conclude that mockingbirds have done an excellent job of adapting to living in residential areas. |
