Mockingbird sings loud love songs - all night long

In Harper Lee's novel "To Kill a Mockingbird," the young protagonist and narrator, Scout, embraces her father's philosophy that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird since all they do is "sing their hearts out for us."

Of course I would never recommend killing any bird, especially ones that exemplify innocence and goodness in a famous book, but is there any way to stifle these loud but melodious birds, at least during the night?

My husband and I were first awakened by the songbird a few weeks ago in the middle of the night. Initially I thought three or four birds were engaged in a turf war in the backyard tree that is right outside our bedroom window.

The commotion sounded like a songbird sing-off akin to an avian "American Idol." The "contestants" even sounded like tiny microphones had been fitted onto their breasts. I assumed one of them would soon beat out the competition through sheer loudness.

The winner would be awarded the prize of a new summer home in our bushy backyard tree.

What sounded like several birds turned out to be just one, and a small one at that. I discovered its singularity when the brown bird with white tipped wings left its perch in our tree and sat atop a telephone pole in front of our house and belted out a repertoire of songs, perhaps four or five distinct melodies.

The mockingbird travels by day to neighboring houses and trees, singing incessantly along the way, but always returns to our

tree between 11 p.m. and midnight where he croons all night long. I say "he" because I have discovered that male mockingbirds are the loudest crooners, and females generally don't like to sing in late spring or summer.

It is the unattached male mockingbird that is the superstar of song. After a night out on the town seeking out a mate, the bachelor bird defends his tree with his constant singing, perhaps using his exceptional vocals to lure a female onto his branch.

Once he finds a mate, experts say, he will continue to sing but the volume of his vocals will soften, probably because he no longer needs to bullhorn his intentions to the entire Oak Park bird population.

Mockingbirds can mimic almost anything, from a tune heard on the piano, frogs croaking, dogs barking, lawn mowers, sirens and doorbells- just to name a few.

Our resident

bird keeps add

ing songs, and according to the many websites dedicated to mockingbirds, he will accumulate melodies throughout his lifetime.

Just how many songs a mockingbird can memorize over a lifetime is debatable. Some bird experts say an adult male can memorize about 40 songs. Others believe the mockingbird learns hundreds of songs during his life.

The bird in our backyard sings a medley of soulful, jazzy and sweet songs. He poignantly whistles, playfully chirps, and coos in various tempos. The succession of sounds reverberating from this 9-inch bird varies in beat, melody and texture, with

some songs sounding more like waves or ripples of sound than an actual tune. Lately he seems to be imitating crickets.

I no longer want to suppress the mockingbird in our backyard. He's singing love songs and I'm rooting for him.