My, look how big you've grown. (Part 2)

        A look at juvenile/immature birds continues with the Northern Mockingbird and the Purple Gallinule.  We would like to share some of our favorite photos of young birds and what they will look like when they grow up.  Enjoy.

“Early summer days are a jubilee time for birds.  In the fields, around the house, in the barn, in the woods, in the swamp - everywhere love and songs and nests and eggs.” 

(E. B. White)

        NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD:  Most songbirds sing to claim a territory or to attract a mate. Mockingbirds typically sing from February though August.  We have observed them singing in our backyard as early as mid-January.  A male Mockingbird can have a repertoire of 200 songs throughout his lifetime.  In our backyard they can easily mimic the calls of Blue Jays, Florida Scrub-Jays, Eastern Phoebes, Red-Bellied Woodpeckers, Great Crested Flycatchers, Northern Cardinals and many more. If you like to "bird by ear", you need to pay close attention when Mockingbirds are nearby.  They even sing past midnight on well-lit nights.  The Northern Mockingbird is the state bird of Florida and 4 other states.

        Mockingbirds have 2 or 3 broods of young in a breeding cycle, with as many as 6 hatchlings per brood.  Baby Mockingbirds are naked, blind and helpless.  Both parents feed and care for the hatchlings.  In as few as 15 days, they fledge (leave the nest) and become independent.  Immature Mockingbirds are similar in appearance to adults, but with streaks on the back and distinguishing spots and streaks on the breast.  

Northern Mockingbird (Fledgling)

Northern Mockingbird (Immature)

        When fully grown, Mockingbirds are a medium-sized songbird (10 inches) with long legs and a long tail.  Males and females are similar in appearance.  They are gray to grayish-brown above and white below.  They have two white wingbars on each wing, creating a beautiful white patch in flight. The outer tail feathers are also white.

Northern Mockingbird (Adult)

        PURPLE GALLINULE:  A medium-sized member of the rail family, the Purple Gallinule swims like a duck and walks like a chicken.  It has long, thick yellow legs with very long toes which makes it easy for them to walk across floating vegetation, such as lily pads.  It is also an excellent climber as you can see in these photos.

     When hatched, the chicks are covered with black down and leave the nest with their parents within a day.  Juveniles will be flying at around 10 weeks old.  Immature birds have brownish upperparts with a greenish wash, with a lighter colored face and underparts.  Their bill is brown and yellow.

Purple Gallinule (Immature)

        As adults, Purple Gallinules are beautifully colored birds.  Males and females are similar in appearance, males are slightly larger.  The head, neck and underparts are dark purple. The back and wings are iridescent green and brown, the underside of the tail is bright white.  The bill resembles a piece of candy corn, a bright red base with a yellow tip.  Adults also have a pale blue frontal shield on their forehead.

Purple Gallinule (Adult)

        Be sure to check back for part 3.....tweet.....tweet!!