The Greatest Singers

     Sinatra? Cher? Jackson? Madonna? Franklin? Williams? Fitzgerald? Presley? 

     Don't mock me, but there's a group that out-performs them all...and it isn't the Beatles. 

     They have many sounds, mimic other singers, and sing almost endlessly, day or night, 

     The males know more than 200 songs, with a selection for Spring and another for Fall. Females sing more quietly, mostly in the Fall, and usually when the male is away. In 1828, you could buy one for $1,300 (in today's money). Well, it was illegal.

     Here's a clue: They eat things like berries and insects. Their Latin name is Mimus polyglottos (many-tongued mimic). 

     Okay! Okay already! We call to your attention the Northern mockingbird. I know. I know. We're writing from Florida, which in all aspects is South. The "Northern" here refers to the northern hemisphere. These mockingbirds live as far south as Mexico. 

     There are Southern mockingbirds in Central and South America. It would be awesome to have competition between Northern and Southern birds on television. If some network would set aside 18 hours. Well, no, neither bird would shut up and take turns mimicking. 

Tomorrow: Our visiting mockingbirds