Catbird

A catbird has been hanging out around the yard recently. He has a really nice voice. I enjoy listening to his calls, and sometimes I call back. I’m partial to catbirds because they’re good imitators, like parrots. They imitate other birds, frogs, machines, lots of different kinds of sounds. Me, I tend towards beeping sounds, like microwave ovens and telephones make. I don’t imitate other birds. But I like listening to the catbird do that. There’s one thing about catbirds I really can’t understand, though. They get their name from the mewing sound they often make. Why would any self-respecting bird make a sound like a cat?