Northern Mockingbird
The state bird of Texas is a small songbird that calls Texas it's home. Its name comes from a song written by Richard Milburn in 1855. The song was called Listen to the Mockingbird and was adopted as the state bird in 1927. The mockingbird is protected, and capturing it as a pet could endanger its survival. Although its population declined by 21% between 1966 and 2015, it is still common in some parts of Texas.
The Northern Mockingbird can be found throughout the state. The species mainly inhabits brushy thickets and isolated mottes. It also breeds in Bermuda and the Hawaiian Islands. It was initially a southern bird, but its range has widened northward over the 20th century. According to the North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS), Texas has more mockingbirds than any other state. The highest numbers were in Palo Pinto, Wells, and Wilbarger counties.
