Open windows and cool night breezes are part of the charm of summer. But nighttime sounds can go way beyond the chirp of crickets or tree frogs. Why in the world would birds sing at nighttime?
Should you be kept awake by the nonstop medley of a bird filling the long night hours with its ballad, it is most likely a mockingbird.
Before you let yourself even think about strangling that bird, find some interest and humor as to why it goes on and on and on.
The bird is a young male bachelor.
Imagine having a suitor trying to win you over by singing under your window!
Most birds learn the songs they'll ever sing before reaching a year old. But mockingbirds continue to listen and learn throughout their lifetime, copying the sounds of other birds. All mockingbirds sing during the day but only the male bachelors sing at night. Once that bird keeping you awake finds a mate, the singing will stop.
Rather than trying to block it out, focus on those repetitious songs and try to catch the recognizable sounds of other types of birds. You may be amazed how many different songs that bird knows. Though annoying at first, that "racket" just may lull you off to sleep after all, and once nature plays out and he finds a mate, you just may miss his nightly visits.
The law is on the side of these birds. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 protects the mockingbird. It is against the law to harm or kill any type of migratory bird.
