The catbird also sings beautiful, bubbling successions of musical notes, and reproduces phrases of other birds' songs in the manner of its southern cousin, the mockingbird. Catbirds are primarily insectivorous, and their presence is a great benefit to the home gardener. They particularly enjoy eating the destructive cutworm, and are adroit in the capture of moths. They also dine upon wild berries in early Autumn, such as those of the spicebush, dogwood, sassafras and Virginia Creeper. These berries are not sweet, and do not appeal to mammals.
Catbirds return to the same neighborhood year after year to raise their families.
John Burroughs writes an anecdote concerning a friend of his who had a pair of catbirds return three years in a row to her property. The male and female catbirds both work at building their bulky nest. Its rough exterior is woven of twigs, strips of bark, coarse grasses and leaves. It may incorporate bits of paper and rags when the birds can find them. The cup-like interior of the nest is lined with tiny rootlets and soft shredded bark.