Thieving Mockingbird

5 years ago

I was looking out my window into the courtyard this morning and saw a mockingbird eating the last of the tomatoes on my dying Everglades tomato that drowned from too much rain. I didn't begrudge him the tomatoes, but sitting on the table next to it was my little strawberry plant, which is growing and blooming like mad, and has two ripening strawberries on it right now. I shooed him because I don't want him to feel comfortable eating out of the courtyard garden, but I know that won't deter a mockingbird.

I brought the strawberry plant inside, and I'm going to look for some bird netting for it in my travels today. I don't know what kind of strawberry this is, but it's evidently everbearing, because it's just going crazy, and it has the sweetest berries. Small, but sweet.

I got the elderberry so I could have it for the birds to eat from. I know they love them. I want to feed the wildlife, but not my good food! LOL I guess I'll have to plant one of these baby Everglades in the outside garden for them to feast on.

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dirtygardener
Original Author

5 years ago

There are a lot of beautyberries at the back of the property, and they have plenty to drink. We have a large retention pond that is almost full with all this rain, and I keep water in the courtyard all the time. IME mockingbirds will eat anything they can get their beaks on. They are consummate scavengers.

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Comments (7)

mr1010
5 years ago
Many birds and animals eat from tomatoes simply to get water/moisture from them.

Squirrels will do it also.

Maybe put out a bird bath or something to hold water for them.

I have 5 birdfeeding stations around my yard and on the ground near each one I put

out a shallow pan with drinking water. Even the quails use it.
Patty Bee Port St. Lucie Zone 10A
5 years ago
I can sympathize. I don't know how many big tomatoes I've lost because some mockingbird has stuck its beak into a nice juicy one.
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mr1010
5 years ago
You might like to plant some American Beautyberry for the birds- cardinals, mockingbirds, finches and even woodpeckers love the berries in late summer, early fall. I love the look of the branches loaded with these colorful berries and the pretty

blossoms, which are blooming right now are appreciated by bees and butterflies.

A great Florida Native plant.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Callicarpa_americana
carolb_w_fl_coastal_9b
5 years ago
Mockingbirds like fruit, darn it.

I do admire our state bird's valiance, tho - how they will chase off huge crows, cats, dogs and even humans during nesting season = )
dirtygardener
Original Author
5 years ago
Carol, I love mockingbirds. When I was a teenager, my dad had one that lived in our Cassina tree in the front yard. It would jump down and walk him to his car every morning, and meet him in the evening, and walk him back to the house. Dad named it Sam. I had one at my old house that would sit up on the aluminum antenna on my neighbor's house right outside my bedroom, and peck on it to wake me up in the morning. As soon as I showed my head outside, he would stop. He loved my elderberries.

I've had a mockingbird attach itself to me everywhere I've lived. I think it should be my spirit animal. I had forgotten it's our state bird. Well, then, I have both of my state birds here at my apartment. There is a pair of Carolina wrens (South Carolina) and the mocker. I love them both.
sonni1
5 years ago
Those mockingbirds sure love tomatoes! I've tried the bird bath and other native plants that they are supposed to favor, but what tastes better than tomatoes - or strawberries? The best luck I've had is with planting bird pepper outside the garden. Doesn't keep them out of the tomatoes, but it seems to have helped a bit.

Thieving Mockingbird

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mr1010

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Thieving Mockingbird

dirtygardenerOriginal Author

Comments (7)

mr1010

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