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Platte River Status: An uncommon migrant, and uncommon to rare (and local) nesting species throughout the study area. Tout (1947) considered northern mockingbird "widely scattered but nowhere abundant" in Lincoln County, present 30 April to 29 August. Rosche (1979) stated that northern mockingbird is a permanent resident in the lower North Platte River Valley where it may have nested near Keystone in 1978. Tout (1947) stated that northern mockingbird was most often found in canyons and on river valley benches in Lincoln County. Short (1961) found northern mockingbird commonly at Big Springs, Deuel County, and uncommonly at Sutherland, Lincoln County.

Breeding Range: Uncommon and local during the nesting season in the Platte River Valley, Dissected Plain, and Eastern Plain ; rare and highly local on the Western Plain and Sandhills.

Breeding Population: The population was estimated at 30 nesting pairs in 1979-1980. We believe that our population figure is underestimated several-fold, thus the figure here should be considered an absolute minimum.

Habitat: We found the highest mean nesting density in lowland forest (0.5 pairs/km²), followed by residential (0.2 pairs/km²). Most northern mockingbirds observed in the Platte River Valley are associated with habitats supporting dense shrub layer vegetation, especially in lowland forest. Rising (1974) considered northern mockingbird a common summer resident in short, open, woodlands in western Kansas where nests were placed in a variety of tree species.

Effect of Habitat Alteration: Northern mockingbird has benefited from the establishment of wooded vegetation in river channels, and by planting of ornamental trees in residential areas.

Nesting Data: We have records of six nests within the study area during 15 May to 23 June; mean clutch size was 4.2 eggs. Middleton (1943) found a northern mockingbird nest 23 May 1942 near Brady, Lincoln County. Egg dates in Kansas range from 21 April to 31 July (Johnsgard 1979).