CATBIRD
SR

The catbird is one of the mimic thrushes but does not hold the high esteem of mockingbirds or thrashers. It is a furtive bird, slinking along hedge rows and thickets like a robber in the night causing many writers to accuse him of nest robbing and to state that he is frequently attacked by robins, sparrows and other neighbors. My observations in over fifty years of bird-watching do not verify this charge. I have seen catbirds discover snakes and sound such an alarm that other birds joined in to drive the reptile away.

Attired in a neat suit of slate gray topped off by a black fedora hat, the catbird presents a gentlemanly appearance. The only other color is a patch of chestnut under the tail coverts. It is well named by its call, a whining mee-ee-ow, not given with the regularity of the songs of brown thrashes or mockingbirds.

Catbirds are imitators, often emitting sounds akin to squeaking wheelbarrows, swing sets, or the discordant notes of other birds. In this mood, one is apt to see them at the top of a tall bush showing off for the world to see and hear.

Many persons dislike catbirds because of their propensity for fruit and berries. It is true enough that cherries, strawberries and figs are considered delicacies; but when these are not available, the bird feeds on beetles, grasshoppers, caterpillars and miscellaneous insects and spiders.

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