I've often thought about keeping a life list of birds I've heard 
mockingbirds mimic, but I've never gotten too it. When I worked at NASA 
Wallops Island I heard a mocker mimic the alarm call of a Wilson's Plover. 
I was on the main base (not the island). The nearest nesting Wilson's 
Plovers were about 8 miles as the bird flies. I doubt Wilson's Plovers came 
anywhere near the main base, so the mocker must have flown some distance 
during the summer to learn the call. Of course another possibility is that 
a sequence of mockers, and/or starlings, passed the call along.

Charlie

>How many of you have actually taken the time to sit down for a few minutes 
>and listen to a Northern Mockingbird sing away and try to pick out 
>different bird calls from its repertoire?
>
>Here are some of the ones I picked out:
>
>Osprey - yes, I couldn't believe it either
>Oriole - the chatter call and a few notes as well, I couldn't discern if 
>it was a Northern or Orchard
>Kingfisher - the chatter call again
>Pheobe - "pheobe" over and over again
>Tufted Titmouse - cheeva cheeva
>Blue Jay - two note call
>Red-shouldered Hawk - the typical call note over and over
>Red-winged Blackbird - a stylelized "conger eee"
>Catbird - the typical scolding note
>Carolina Wren - the babbling/rolling flute like notes
>Bluebird - partial phrase of the main song
>
>Martin/Swallow
>The last one here, I only heard once(ie used once in its mimicking) and I 
>couldnt discern if it was a Purple Martin or a Tree Swallow, but the more 
>I replay it in my head the more I am leaning towards Purple Martin.
>
>THAT'S 12 BIRDS!!!  Not bad if you ask me.  Now this mockingbird had other 
>songs as well, but I only listed the ones I could pick out.
>
>Adam Smith

Charles Vaughn
1306 Frederick Avenue
Salisbury, MD 21801

410-742-7221