Mockingbirds comprise about 16 species of New World birds, mostly tropical, which have the ability to mimic familiar sounds. One northern mockingbird was recorded mimicking the songs of 36 other species of birds. The northern mockingbird is slim, with a long tail and a total length of about 11 inches (28 cm). It is gray, lighter below than above, and has white patches on its wings and tail. It feeds on insects, along with fruit and seeds. The northern mockingbird is native to the southeastern United States, Mexico, and the West Indies. It once was uncommon above the Mason-Dixon Line, but has begun to extend its range northward to southeastern Canada and Wyoming.