A mockingbird is a gray and white songbird famous for its remarkable ability to imitate other birds' songs. If you hear what sounds like a robin, then a cardinal, then a blue jay all coming from the same tree, you might be listening to a single mockingbird showing off its vocal skills. These clever birds can learn and copy dozens of different songs, and some mockingbirds even mimic car alarms, cell phone ringtones, or barking dogs.

Mockingbirds are common across the United States, especially in the South, where the northern mockingbird is the state bird of five different states. They're bold, territorial birds that will fiercely defend their nests, sometimes even diving at cats or people who get too close.

The mockingbird appears as an important symbol in Harper Lee's classic novel To Kill a Mockingbird, where it represents innocence and harmlessness. In the book, characters learn that it's wrong to harm mockingbirds because they don't do anything but make beautiful music for people to enjoy. This symbolism has made the mockingbird a lasting image in American culture, representing the idea that innocent creatures deserve protection.