Northern Mockingbird look-alikes
Mimus polyglottos
Spotted a bird? Identify it instantly with the Birdby app
Open the appSeveral birds can be mistaken for the Northern Mockingbird. Compare the key differences below to confirm your sighting.
Birds to compare
Loggerhead Shrike
Lanius ludovicianus
Key differences
Mockingbirds are larger, lack the shrike's prominent black mask, and have a more slender bill. Shrikes have a hooked bill and a more upright, hawk-like posture. Mockingbirds have much more white in the wings and tail.
Gray Catbird
Dumetella carolinensis
Key differences
Catbirds are uniformly slate-gray with a rusty undertail covert patch and a black cap. They lack the white wing patches and white outer tail feathers of the mockingbird. Catbirds also have a different song, often described as a 'cat-like' mewing call.
Northern Shrike
Lanius borealis
Key differences
Similar to Loggerhead Shrike, but Northern Shrikes are larger and have a less distinct mask. Both shrike species have a hooked bill and different flight patterns and vocalizations compared to the mockingbird.
Explore the Northern Mockingbird
Identify birds anywhere
Free on iOS, Android, and Web. Photo & sound identification, full species database, and your personal life list.