Roadrunners

Roadrunner Hunting Grasshoppers

It seems mockingbirds aren't the only birds that hunt grasshoppers. I spotted three roadrunners hunting grasshoppers near the road this morning. A local resident said he has seen these birds hunt quail chicks, spear them with their beaks, and eat them whole.  No wonder the mockingbirds chase them away.
"The Cornell Lab of Ornithology" website says they kill rattlesnakes - that's a plus!  They remind a little of mockingbirds because they lift their tail feathers up at a slant when standing as shown in the picture.

Mockingbirds Defending Their Territory

Mockingbird harassing a Red-tailed Hawk

On my morning walk today I witnessed what National Geographic describes as mockingbirds "defending their nesting and feeding grounds".  Pictured above is a mockingbird trying to scare away a red-tailed hawk. There were actually two mockingbirds, but I could only photograph one. I also saw another set of mockingbirds harassing a roadrunner near a house at the edge of the desert. The roadrunner took off towards the desert.

Red-tailed Hawk Carrying Rabbit's Legs

Hawks can often be seen hunting near the edge of the desert. They hunt rabbits, birds, and lizards. Here you can see a hawk with rabbit feet in its talons.  I have also seen the birds eating other birds. The mockingbirds get very upset whenever they are around, flying in circles around the intruding hawk trying to get it to leave the area.

Baby Mocking Bird

Baby Mocking Bird - These birds are  easy to identify because they often stick their tail feathers up in the air when they are standing, and are incessant singers (if you can call it that).

I spotted this little bird on my walk down the street this morning. Actually I heard it way before I saw it.  It was calling for its mother very loudly. I shouldn't have been surprised to discover that the incessant noise was coming from such a little guy because these birds never shut up. They sometimes sing all day and all night long, which can be terribly annoying when you want to sleep with your window to take advantage of the short season of cool weather.

See "An Intro to Mockingbirds: The Noisiest, Most Aggressive Small Bird You'll Ever Meet" to see videos of Mockingbirds defending their nests, and to find out more information about these birds.