Northern Mockingbirds in West Virginia
When mockingbirds are present in West Virginia, when they nest, which native West Virginia plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 5b–7a yard.
- Status in West Virginia
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- March–August
- Broods
- 2–3 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 5b–7a
When to expect mockingbirds in West Virginia
Northern Mockingbirds live in West Virginia all year. Snowy winters at elevation; valleys milder. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward holly, hackberry, pokeweed and multiflora fruit.
Humid continental Appalachian state with high ridges and deep river valleys.
Nesting in West Virginia
Across West Virginia, mockingbirds typically nest from March–August. Nest site: twig cup in shrubs and small trees 3–10 ft up. Females lay 2–6 eggs, incubate for 12–13 days, and young leave the nest after 12–13 days.
Warm, humid summers; high ridges host northern breeders.
- Northern Mockingbirds don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as flowering dogwood, eastern red cedar, serviceberry for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after August.
Native West Virginia plants that attract mockingbirds
Of the regional native plants we track for West Virginia, these 8 provide food or cover mockingbirds use:
Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers.
Dense evergreen roost cover and bluish 'berries' eaten through winter.
Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.
Deciduous holly holding red fruit into mid-winter.
Fruit clusters persist all winter as emergency food.
Red fruit heads hang on through winter.
Acorns plus hundreds of caterpillar species for nestling food.
Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.
Feeding mockingbirds through the West Virginia year
Mockingbirds defend fruiting shrubs from other birds all winter; plant several berry bushes to spread them out.
- Best foods: Suet, Fruit, Mealworms.
- In West Virginia's winter: Snowy winters at elevation; valleys milder.
Full diet breakdown for mockingbirds · Best feeder for mockingbirds
Frequently asked
Are mockingbirds in West Virginia year-round?
Yes. Northern Mockingbirds are year-round residents in West Virginia.
When do mockingbirds nest in West Virginia?
Nesting in West Virginia typically runs March–August, with 2–3 per season. Clutches are 2–6 eggs, incubated for 12–13 days.
What native plants attract mockingbirds in West Virginia?
Flowering dogwood, Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, Winterberry, Staghorn sumac, Smooth sumac, White oak, Black cherry are native plants in West Virginia that provide food or cover for mockingbirds.
Northern Mockingbirds in other regions
Other backyard birds in West Virginia
Sources
- Northern Mockingbird — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Northern Mockingbird life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Northern Mockingbird — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- eBird region overview and bar charts — West Virginia
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023)
- Audubon Native Plants Database
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.