Breeding territory：1pair per 20acres
Gestation：Eggs hatch in 12－13days，the young fledge 11－13days after that．
Number of young：Eggs are blue－green with brown markings．The 2－6，usually 3－5，eggs per nest are a pale blue－greenish with brown spots．
Nest Location：Ground－low nesting
Nest Type：Open－cup The nest，a joint male/female project，is a bulky（大的，容量大的），open cup of grass，twigs（嫩枝，末梢）and rootlets（小根）carelessly arranged in a dense．
Migration Status：Permanent resident．This year－round resident is known for its fierce defense of the family nest．
Diet：Mockingbirds require open grassy areas for their feeding，thick，thorny（多刺的）shrubs for hiding the nest and high perches（栖木，杆）where the male can sing and defend his territory．Gardens are among its favorite dwelling places especially if winter berries are available．The Mockingbird’s primary diet is insects（beetles（甲虫），ants，grasshoppers（蚱蜢，蝗虫）and spiders），berries and seed．
Facts：
1．Only unmated males sing at night．
2．Mockingbirds often form long－term pair bonds．
3．Mockingbirds vigorously defend their territory against many other species including dogs，cats and man！
4．Female mockingbirds often build a new nest while the males finish feeding older fledglings and teaching them to fly．
5．Scientists have found that female mockingbirds are attracted to males that can make the most different sounds．
6．Mockingbirds are the state bird of Arkansas，Florida，Mississippi，Tennessee，and Texas and one of the few birds found in every kind of habitat，from desert to forest to city．
7．Mockingbirds are thought to raise and lower their wings in order to scare up（凑合）a meal of insects，frighten snakes and impress their mates．
State Flower州花
1900年11月28日Mississippi密西西比州的小学生选出自己心目中的木兰花作为州花。在木兰花中，栀子和素馨是最受人们欢迎的。学生们投票共选出42种花，23，278投票者中，木兰花获得了12，745票。但立法机关并没有正式确定。1935年，密西西比州林业局局长发起选举州树的活动，这次同样是由小学生投票。木兰花再次获胜。1938年4月1日，本州批准此花为州花。1952年2月26日，木兰花最终正式成为本州州花。
Mississippi school children were allowed to vote for their state flower on November 28，1900．The magnolia，cape jasmine，and yellow jasmine were favorites．In all，children voted for forty－two flowers．Out of 23，278votes，the magnolia received 12，745．It was not made official by the legislature．In 1935，Mississippi’s Director of Forestry started a state tree movement，again allowing school children to vote．The magnolia again won by a landslide（多数的选票）．It was adopted on April 1，1938．On February 26，1952，the magnolia（Magnolia grandiflora）was finally officially adopted as Mississippi’s state flower．Native to Asia，the magnolia was named for the great French botanist（植物学家）Pierre Magnol，who died in 1715．
Southern magnolia（Magnolia grandiflora），also called evergreen magnolia，bull－bay，big－laurel，or large－flower magnolia，has large fragrant white flowers and evergreen leaves that make it one of the most splendid of forest trees and a very popular ornamental that has been planted around the world．This moderately（适度地）fast－growing medium－sized tree grows best on rich，moist，well－drained soils of the bottoms and low uplands（丘陵地，高地）of the Coastal Plains of Southeastern United States．It grows with other hardwoods（阔叶树）and is marketed as magnolia lumber along with other magnolia species to make furniture，pallets，and veneer（单板，胶合板）．Wildlife eat the seeds，and florists prize the leathery foliage（树叶，植物）．
Size：60to 80feet in height with a spread of about 30to 50feet．It develops into a large tree in southeastern Virginia，but in western Virginia its height may not exceed 20feet due to occasional winter damage．
There are numerous cultivars（培育植物），and there can be variation between seedlings．Grows at about a medium rate with a pyramidal habit．Generally branched to the ground and best left this way since growing anything under them is futile．
Leaf：Alternate，******，pinnately veined and evergreen，5to 8inches long，oval（卵形的，椭圆的）in shape with an entire margin．Very waxy/shiny above，and reddish tomentose（［解］［植］被绒毛的）below．
Flower：Southern magnolia has large，showy white flowers 6to 8inches wide with large white petals．Flower size ranges from extremely large blooms over 15inches wide（Magnolia delavyii and Mag．grandiflora），to very small flowers less than 1inch wide（Michellia figo）．These have a pleasant fragrance and appear throughout the spring and summer．Fragrance can range from overpowering（无法抵抗的，压倒性的）musty smells to sweet tropical fruit smells．Most evergreen members of the Magnoliaceae do have a distinct smell．The flowers open slowly as the large blossom needs time to develop．The center of the blossom is intricate（错综的）and attractive as well．Flower color is basically an off white or cream color．Flowers are pure white，fragrant，but last only one day after opening．As flowers age they often develop a yellow cast to them．Yellow（often with green or purple undertones）flower color can be found in Michellia figo．Rare pink flowers can be found in Magnolia virginiana and Michellia affinis（近缘的）．A red flowered form of Magnolia delayvii has been reported．Flowers are borne singly in spring to early summer from May to June，but in general the trees do not begin blooming until their seventh year，once their growth rate has decreased．
Fruit：The fruits are reddish－brown conelike structures，2－4in（5－10cm）long，with bright red kidney shaped seeds that hang from little threads when fully mature in autumn．Maturing October to November．
Twig：Stout，with white to rusty tomentum and a long（1to 11/2inches）silky white to rusty red terminal bud．
Bark：Brown to gray，thin，smooth/lenticellate（［植］产皮孔的）when young，later with close plates or scales．
Form：A medium－sized tree with a pyramidal crown（金字塔形树冠）．When open grown，the crown is dense with low branches．
State Flag州旗
1894年2月7日本州委员会设计由立法机关指定的州旗。在旗面上的正方形占旗宽的三分之二，红底正方形上有个蓝色的X形十字，上面分布有13颗五角星，相当于当初的13个州。此旗分为3个等宽部分，上面为蓝色，中间为白色，下面为红色。
