Tis’ the season! Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, another holiday altogether, or nothing at all, wintertime is still something that’s definitely worth celebrating. And with most celebrations, birds play some sort of role, whether it’s as a part of folklore, an integral symbol, or just a really cool thing to look at. Even if you’re content with simply looking out your window every now and then, it’s still worth keeping birds in mind this holiday season. Without further ado, let’s get into it!
Hold on, birds are still around?
Yeah! Lots of songbirds still stick around in the wintertime, more than we usually expect. That’s because lots of songbirds don’t rely on flying insects or fresh fruit to sustain themselves, both of which usually move with the seasons. Instead, lots of birds rely on the seeds and nuts that they can find from wintertime flora and burrowing insects. Many of these birds, such as the Black-capped Chickadee, even store seeds in preparation for winter, similar to many other mammals’ hibernatory practices.
This is usually why you see many songbird shoppes stocking a wintertime birdseed mix: birds in the winter, much like their mammal counterparts, rely on a reliable source of fat especially throughout the winter, so the seeds included are usually higher in protein and fat contents. Moreover, just because birds are able to forage for and store food doesn’t mean that a malign squirrel or a strong gust of wind hasn’t ferreted out their food sources recently. In the winter especially, songbirds rely on renewable, consistent forms of sustenance, and more often than not that entails of a regularly-stocked birdfeeder.
So if you’re planning to or have already taken down your suet and seed feeders this winter, please put them back up! The birds still braving the elements in your backyard will greatly appreciate your renewed hospitality :)
Can birds really be that festive?
While it’s natural to think that our feathered friends aren’t terribly important to the holiday zeitgeist, if you’ve spent more than fifteen minutes doing last-minute shopping at a gift store on Christmas Eve you’ll run into more bird-themed merch than you’d expect. Some notable examples of birds that you’ll find during Christmas time are:
Cardinals Their warm, vibrant red plumage is a cheerful and color-appropriate fit for Christmas.
Penguins A fun, festive pick! Their association with the Arctic, and by extension, winter, makes them a mainstay for wintertime merchandise.
Partridges A bird that’s specifically mentioned roosting in a pear tree in the “Twelve Days of Christmas”!
Doves A traditional symbol of peace, these snow-white birds can be seen on both religious and festive designs.
Swans A graceful, elegant bird that we also associate with winter, you’ll see this bird on mugs and in snow globes more often than you think!
It’s not just these birds, either, even a bright goldfinch or a fluffy bluebird can still appear on holiday decor now and then, even outside of winter! In general, birds have always represented various things in many different cultures, which has been covered in previous blogs. The long and short of it is that we love birds for many different reasons and they show up more often than we think, well, everywhere! There are some more fun examples of festive birds like the Quetzal in South America, but I’ll save that for the next section.
Are there other festive birds out there?
Absolutely! If you remember the trivia game we played in the September blog, we’re going to do another guessing game, though I’ll fill in some letters to make it less tricky. The questions will go from easiest to hardest and include a prompt with place of origin, holiday, and a quick description. There will also be hints for each question below, and below that are the answers. Ready?
Origin: Argentina. Holiday: Christmas. Description: Not only are these aquatic birds festive, but they’re also a common sight during Christmas time!
P _ _ G _ _ _
Origin: India. Holiday: Diwali. Description: A vibrant, social bird idolized for its beauty and elegance.
_ E _ _ _ C _
Origin: Japan. Holiday: New Year. Description: A majestic bird known to symbolize longevity and happiness
_ R _ _ _
Origin: Native American. Holiday: Harvest Festivals. Description: A spiritual symbol of vision, wit, and balance.
_ A _ _
Origin: New Zealand. Holiday: Waitangi Day. Description: A flightless bird beloved by New Zealand as a symbol of the country’s biodiversity
_ I _ _
Origin: Brazil. Holiday: Carnival. Description: A playfully colorful bird that’s represented in Carnival costumes, decor, and parades.
_ O U _ _ _
Origin: China. Holiday: Chinese New Year. Description: A symbol of punctuality and fidelity thought to dispel evil spirits
_ _ O _ _ _ R
Origin: Bengali. Holiday: Pohela Boishakh (Begali New Year). Description: An agile hunter that symbolizes prosperity and the bounty of nature.
_ _ N _ F _ _ _ E _
Origin: Andean. Holiday: Inti Raymi. Description: Believed to connect earth with the spiritual world, this majestic bird represents transcendence and elevation.
_ _ _ _ O _
Origin: Australia. Holiday: Indigenous Celebrations Festival. Description: A funny-sounding bird (in more ways than one) commonly included on totem poles as a symbol of unity.
_ O _ _ _ _ U _ R _
Origin: Japan. Holiday: Shinto Festivals. Description: A legendary, colorful symbol of good fortune, happiness, and balance in the Shinto religion.
F _ _ _ H U _ _ _
Origin: Maori. Holiday: Matariki Festival (New Year). Description: A rare nocturnal parrot whose resilience symbolizes the renewal of life. They are also a symbol of conservation.
_ _ K _ P _
Hints:
Mentioned earlier Flamboyant courtship Think origami Cooper’s, Harrison’s Fruit bowl 1 can’t… Wake up! Regal diver Apartment + _ = ? Kooky fella Yin-Yang Phoenix A-OK Anagram (Additional hint for 12): Its name sounds like a distinctive white parrot celebrated during Australia’s NAIPOC week
Stop here until you’re ready to check your answers!
