Tennessee is the 16th state to become an official US state. It happened in 1796, on June 1. The capital city of Tennessee is Nashville. The state is also known as the Volunteer State. As for the state bird, well, you are going to think, “of course,” once you find out which one it is.
What is the State Bird of Tennessee?
At this point, it is harder to find a state that doesn’t have the Mockingbird as its state bird rather than one that has. Well, that might be an exaggeration, but the Mockingbird is certainly popular among states for the state bird status.
In the case of Tennessee, the official state bird was decided in 1933. Mockingbirds, as the name suggests, are known for their vocals more than anything else. The number of songs the bird can memorize is amazing.
What Makes the State Bird of Tennessee Unusual?
The Tennessee state bird has always been known for their vocal prowess. On some days, it can sound as if multiple birds are having the time of their life in your backyard. Yet, when you go out, you will find there is only one culprit. Mockingbirds can imitate the sound of other birds, amphibians, and even a few mechanical noises. They love imitating various sounds and can do it tirelessly throughout the day. They are also known as an aggressive species when it comes to their territory, despite having this fun side.
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Northern Mockingbird Migration
Tennessee State Bird Facts
Let’s learn some interesting facts about the Tennessee official state bird.
1 . Mockingbirds start singing somewhere around February and stop around August. They actually sing twice a year. The second time is a bit shorter, with their songs continuing from September to November. They have separate songs ready depending on which season it is. The collection of songs they sing during spring is different from the ones during fall.
2. Northern Mockingbirds learn several songs throughout their lifetime. As they age, they pick up on more and more sounds. For an adult male mockingbird, it has been noted that they are capable of learning somewhere around 200 songs.
3. The Northern Mockingbird spreads out their wings. They either open them half or fully, showing the white portions of their wings. It is unknown for what reasons they do this. Some think it is to startle their prey, who may not be prepared for the sudden wing show. However, since this is also done by other species of Mockingbirds sometimes, despite not having the white part, it is unsure if that is the reason.
Final Thoughts
The Northern Mockingbird can be seen all over North America. Tennessee, like all other North American states, gets a visit from the state bird very often. Northern Mockingbirds will appear in your backyard as long as you have their favorite fruits ready or have a feeder hung up for them to visit. Even without that, they might find it fun to wake you up with a song of whichever bird species they have chosen to imitate for the day.
