Evening star., 1947-12-18
This and That
By Charles Z. TraceUeH
ASPEN, Md.

Dear Sir:
"A heretofore mild-mannered mockingbird
has suddenly gone berserk and turned into
veritable cock O. the roost.'
"An through the summer and fall a brood
OF three young Knockers had delightful time
chasing one another in and out among the
trees and shrubs. One would occasionally
alight On the feeding board on which we placed
cracked grains, sunfower, melon seeds daily
for different species of sparrows, cardinals
and other birds.
During the dozen years that we have main
tanned this feeding station we never observed
mocker picking up any of the grain About
10 days ago I placed small pieces Of apple
upon the board and they were soon consumed
by mocker The following day he ate more
apple and began to pick up the cracked grains.
Then he developed the idea that he was the
big boss He perched in small tree and when
any birds would visit the feeding station he
would fly over and drive them away Although
I ceased to put out any more apple for him
he comes several times day and eats his fill
OF the chick grain
II put up another feeding station back of
the house on which placed pieces Of apple
and grains, hoping to lure him away from
the other station.
He eats the apple all right, does not touch
the grain, maintains his belligerent watch over
the original station and fills up on the feed put
there for the other birds. A few years ago
another mocker developed a similar belliger-
ency but otherwise they have been as peaceful
and respectable as the other birds.
Sincerely, E. c. P"
The dog lint the-manger mockingbird is more
or less common.
He seems to carry over into the cold the
instinct for protecting his own which charac-
terizes him in the nesting season.
It is believed that the bird is "he' in all
cases; that Is, when the belligerent streak
manifests itself, 1t shows that the wintering
bird Is male
Perhaps those Knockers that remain and still
are not perpetually in a fighting mood are
lady Knockers, but who knows? The sexes look
alike 1t would be pleasing to some to believe
that the female Knockers have the most sense
and therefore go South in the cold.
Almost every suburban neighborhood has
one or more wintering mockingbirds. Perhaps
one out of 10 will develop this dog-in-the-
manger attitude.
When 1t does so it causes great deal of
worry in the home precincts, as the person who
puts out food for the bird watches this one
creature keep all the rest from eating.
In most cases the lone bird himself refuses
to eat. Mockingbirds are classed as soft
billed birds, and usually do not eat seeds and
grains.
They prefer berries, such as those of the
poke, left on the bush; all the berried shrubs
offer them food In the cold.
This supply at times runs very short and
may be augmented by placing out raisins.
These are fine winter food, not only for
mockingbirds, but also for most of the songsters
remaining here.
We have found that belligerent mocker
finally gives over the effort, If no attention is
paid to him from the house.
We have more than a suspicion that his
trouble is swollen ego.
He likes to attract attention and, once he
gets it, is not as likely to give up as if he is
let alone. Then, since he is an intelligent
bird. the fun goes out Of his project and he
finally minds his own business.
This may be helped along by the plan Of our
correspondent that is, raisins on the other
side OF the house.
Mockingbirds have several odd traits. One Of
them is dance, put on in the fall and spring
Two birds, generally thought to be male and
female. walk toward each other, as If toeing
line and then rapidly retreat going through
the evolution for several minutes at time
Sometimes it is believed that the two dancers
are both male.
A pleasing trait Of the mocker is that of
peering in a window when food is not placed
promptly enough to suit 1t. Other species
sometimes do this, too. but none so much or
as intriguingly as the mockingbrd. If window
Is left open without screen, the bird will even
come In.