a. Do a research on the natural habitat of mockingbird. In your research, include the kind of flora and fauna you think exist in Maycomb and explain why the mockingbirds live in Macomb.[Naturalist]
Mocking birds are group of birds from the Mimidae family. They are known to mimic the voice of insects, other birds and amphibians, often loud and rapid in succession. There are around 17 species of Mockingbirds in 3 Genre.
HABITAT
Mocking birds live in open country with thickets, farmland and desert brush.
They breed from northern California, eastern Nebraska, southern Ontario, and Maritime Canada southward. Mockingbird also spends winters in the southern part of range. They are often found around in residential areas, city parks, farmlands, open country with thickets, and desert brush.
Mockingbirds are very comfortable around people. They now range from parts of southern Canada to southern Mexico. Some mockingbirds, typically those in the west, and in the northern most part of their range in Canada, migrate toward warmer regions south or to the coast. The Mockingbird is the state bird of Texas, Florida, Arkansas, Tennessee and Mississippi.
The diet of the mockingbird consists of ants, beetles, grasshoppers, seeds and berries.
During the fall and winter mockingbirds prefer to eat wild fruits consisting of holly, pokeberry, blackberry, sumac and Virginia creeper and defend these areas aggressively. They eat insects all year long but especially during the breeding season.
Both parent mockingbirds are very territorial when they are nesting. They will defend their nests from any animals they think are predators. This includes people. If you get too close to a nest, even in your own yard, they may "dive-bomb" you. Don't worry, they have never been known to hurt anyone, but it is probably very stressful for the bird.
Mockinbird nests are built with sticks, weed stems, grasses, moss, hair, rootlets, dry leaves, and trash.
( Adapted from: http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/northern_mockingbird.htm)
| PREY/FOOD | PREDATORS | SHELTER |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | ||
The table shown above is very important in terms of the Mockingbird’s relationship to nature. It also give us a rough idea where the Mockingbird resides or the characteristics of their Habitat.
I think that Maycomb should be a place full of different plants such as the Red Maple, or Spice bush that aid the Mockingbird in terms of shelter. The flora also includes Sassafras which is a source of food for the birds. The Mockingbirds can survive in many different kinds of habitats as they have a wide variety of food source. Adding on, they are also friendly with humans.
However, they do have a few predators. I infer that Maycomb would rarely have them around for the existence of the predators will only scare the mockingbirds. The mockingbirds also have a loud voice when they mimic other birds, if there are predators around, they would be attracted to the Mockingbirds. Hence, it is essential that the Maycomb has very few or no predators at all. Maycomb must also have a widespread of insects everywhere to feed the mocking birds.
To conclude, Maycomb has a widespread of insects and flora and fauna to shelter and feed the Mockingbird. The place also has very few predators like the Black rat snake, owl or hawk.
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