Mockingjay (bird)


 * This article is about the bird. For more Mockingjay pages, see Mockingjay (disambiguation).

A mockingjay is a bird that was created through the mating of jabberjays and female mockingbirds.

Origin
A mixture between mockingbirds and jabberjays, the birds were created by mistake. The jabberjays - all male - were initially created to eavesdrop on the rebels in the Dark Days, memorizing entire conversations and repeating them back at the Capitol. Once they were discovered, the rebels fed endless lies to the Capitol, and sent them back loaded with false information. After the lies were discovered, the Capitol closed the laboratories and they were left to die off. They did, eventually, but not before they passed on their genetic code to female mockingbirds. This was unforseen, because no one expected them to have the brains to reproduce. The offspring were called mockingjays, and, while they had lost the ability to memorize words, they could mimic any sounds from a child's high-pitched scream to a man's low warble, and even songs with multiple verses, if you had the patience to. Katniss' father was one of those people, and Peeta claims that when he first heard Katniss sing, all of the birds, including mockingjays, fell silent, the sign that they liked the song or notes that were made.

Talents
Like both jabberjays and mockingbirds, mockingjays are excellent mimics, and have the ability to memorize and repeat both bird and human songs. They pick up tunes quickly, and often spread them to other mockingjays. However, they only sing the songs of those whose voices they enjoy. Katniss also notes that they can sing both very high and very low pitches.

In District 11, the first worker to see the quitting signal whistles four notes. The mockingjays will then begin to spread the notes, passing the message along to all the workers. The simple melody is ingeniously designed to harmonize with itself as the different voices singing it overlap. Rue practiced this, and may have even begun it.

The Avox Pollux enjoyed whistling to the mockingjays, as it was the only auditory communication he had achieved in a very long time.

Habitat
The birds are found in District 11, in the orchards. They are also found in other various districts, as well as outside District 12's borders.

Mockingjays are described as being as tough as rocks, being able to thrive in almost any environment.

In the 74th Hunger Games, there were mockingjays in the arena. Rue and Katniss used them to send a signal to each other saying they were alright.

Symbol of rebellion
To adorn a garment or assessment with a mockingjay on it is a sign of rebellion to the Capitol — whether or not the wearer means any harm. Not only did the Capitol fail in killing off their own creation, but it turned into something even better than before. The jabberjay mating with a symbol of justice, adds to the rebellion theme.

The mockingjay pin that Madge Undersee gave Katniss Everdeen was no exception. It originally belonged to Madge's aunt, Maysilee Donner, who died in the 50th Hunger Games. The pin, chosen for Katniss's one token of home, represented everything that the Capitol hated. While Katniss was in the woods outside of District 12, she found two women that were rebels on a journey to District 13 because they saw a mockingjay in the commericals.

The exception is with most of the people of the Capitol, who wore mockingjay themed items due to their being in fashion. Very few of them even realized there was a rebellion taking place, let alone their symbol represented it.