The northern mockingbird is a ubiquitous bird across much of the U.S. They were a constant presence in my own backyard growing up in south-central North Carolina. There is no mistaking a mockingbird when it is around. I caught a picture of this guy several years ago at my childhood home. While they aren’t necessarily the most attractive bird, they are known for their vocal acrobatics. A member of the mimidae family, they are expert mimickers. Mockingbirds learn and sing the songs of other birds, often reciting a string of calls from other birds in rapid succession. These birds continue to learn a variety of songs as they age and may know as many as fifty different calls as adults. 

Although research suggests there actually is an evolutionary advantage for such mimicking antics, I’ve always seen in the mockingbird a metaphor and a reminder. These birds try so hard to imitate other birds. They practice and prance and focus so much on the calls of others that they don’t even have a unique call of their own. At times, they appear to be frantic with the need to emulate. 

There is a tendency for us to do that as well. I know I struggle with it at times. A constant comparison to others, a need to be like, or look like, or live like someone else. But the mockingbird is a beautiful bird, and plays an important role in the ecosystem. I am as well, and so are you. Each person has a fantastically unique and attractive voice. And for me, the mockingbird is a reminder to stay focused on that voice. The one-of-a-kind contribution we each make to the world.