This is Bird Noir. I'm Michael Stein, Private Eye. My buddy Franks my eyes and ears in the neighborhood.

He knows everyone and their business. He called me the other day to report some suspicious behavior.

Michael, some boy is trying to pull the wool over my eyes. I keep hearing a red-shouldered hawk

and the shrubs outside my window, but there ain't no hawk in sight. You hear that? Who does this

raptor imposter think he is? Frankie, you know them hawks are usually perched up higher, soaring around

looking for prey. So I'll bet my bottom dollar that you're dealing with a mimic.

Can you see any signs of a northern mockingbird?

Gray body with striking black and white marks on its wings and tail?

Um, uh, no dice.

Maybe a brown thrasher, a robin-sized bird with brown streaks on its breast and a long bill.

That's another swing and a miss. Well, Frankie, what birds do you see? Just the usuals, some robins,

a couple of sparrows, one of those chatty blue jays. That's our culprit, Frankie.

Though they don't have the same reputation for mimicry as mocking birds and thrashers,

Blue Jays have an unnerving habit of impersonating raptors,

especially red-shouldered hawks.

Wow, who to a thunk?

Learn how to solve your own bird mysteries on our website, birdnote.org.

I'm Private Eye, Michael Stein.