Mimicry by a Purple Finch

In North America, Northern Mockingbird and European Starling are well known as accomplished mimics, but perhaps less well known is that many of our finches regularly mimic other birds.

I took this video of a Purple Finch singing in Guelph. Most of his songs contain an American Robin "chatter" in the middle and a few phrases of Northern Cardinal song near the end, as well some possible Red-winged Blackbird calls, although I'm not totally confident that the latter is really mimicry.

Other North American finches known to mimic are Lesser and Lawrence's Goldfinch, Pine Grosbeak, Cassin's Finch and rarely House Finch. Nathan Pieplow's excellent Earbirding blog has more information.