What does the Northern Mockingbird eat?

The Northern Mockingbird's diet shapes where and when you'll find it. Understanding what it eats helps you predict where to look.

Diet overview

Omnivore, primarily insects and berries.

How it forages

Forages on the ground and in vegetation. Diet consists mainly of insects (grasshoppers, crickets, beetles, ants, wasps) during spring and summer, and fruits/berries (holly, elderberry, blackberry, sumac) during fall and winter. They may also consume small lizards or snails. They often run or hop on the ground, pausing to scan for prey.

When it feeds

Diurnal. Highly active during the day, often singing late into the evening and sometimes through the night, especially during full moons or breeding season.

Explore the Northern Mockingbird