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Kids' Inquiry of Diverse Species

Local animals in this group:

mockingbirds and relatives

Mimidae

The mockingbird family includes about 34 species. They are distributed across North, Central, and South America. The most distinctive characteristic of these birds is their ability to mimic other birds. During the breeding season, they tend to sing long, continuous songs made up of phrases taken from other species. These birds can also be recognized by their long tails and bills that curve downward. In addition to the black, gray and white mockingbirds , this group includes thrashers which have brown backs.

 
University of Michigan Museum of ZoologyNational Science Foundation

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. "Mimidae" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed March 19, 2024 at http://www.biokids.umich.edu/accounts/Mimidae/

BioKIDS is sponsored in part by the Interagency Education Research Initiative. It is a partnership of the University of Michigan School of Education, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, and the Detroit Public Schools. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant DRL-0628151.
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