Our ancestors believed that birds, among all representatives of the animal world, symbolize spirituality and have a strong connection with heaven and earth. In ancient times, they were harbingers of bad or good events. Let's find out what signs about birds exist and what they promise us.

Predatory

As popular superstitions say, seeing an Eagle, Kite or Hawk falling in the garden means a great threat to the lives of pets or children.

If a bird of prey enters your yard and screams, expect trouble and big troubles.

A kite sitting on a church cross, according to some beliefs, portends great success, according to others - great misfortune.

Eagles or kites are digging the ground in your area - beware of bad and envious people.

Wild

Folk signs about birds have different interpretations, depending on their type and behavior:

1. If a wild bird hovers over your head, betrayal or betrayal on the part of a loved one awaits you.
2. When an Eagle flies over a person’s head, this sign indicates that he will soon achieve his goal.
3. A flock of wild birds flying towards you indicates that you will be blessed with success and good luck.
4. Hearing the Nightingale sing is a thing that at that moment they thought would be successful.
5. An Owl or an Owl screams near your house - expect an addition to the family. This can be not only the birth of a child, but also the offspring of animals.
6. Wagtail. Many people admire the beauty of this little bird. Seeing it on a tree, in the yard, on the porch or on the roof is a sign that foretells happy events for you. If you happen to find a dead wagtail, be careful in your actions and words. They can bring you trouble.
7. If you saw a Jay (Mockingbird) fluttering above your head, it means that a happy period in your life will soon begin. Many people associate it with the blue bird of happiness. If she constantly flutters near your house or on your property, do not move away and follow her. She will show you the right path to happiness.
8. A Hoopoe often flies into your garden - expect great luck in both personal and financial affairs. Builds a nest in the garden - be careful in your expenses. Don’t even try to drive him away, otherwise your financial problems will become even worse.

Homemade

Among the people there are different signs associated with poultry.

• a rooster crows at the owners’ doorstep or in front of it - there will be guests soon;
• brood hens behave restlessly and cannot fall asleep in the evening - troubles, empty chores and quarrels with neighbors await you;
• a goose that suddenly disappears from the yard foreshadows big troubles for the owner;
• Bad events are indicated by a goose that laid only two eggs.

If suddenly a parrot flew into the apartment through a window or front door, a big financial profit awaits you. For such a sign to come true, do not drive her away, but rather feed her and shelter her.

If a parrot dies in a cage, it is not good. This is a sign that there will soon be trouble in your family.

There is another old belief among the people - if there is at least one black individual in a flock of poultry, this means that such a house is under reliable protection from evil spirits.

Urban

Folk superstitions and signs about urban birds have different meanings.

Swift

Almost all folk beliefs about birds flying into a house or apartment through a window indicate that a person is waiting for news. The situation with swifts is a little different.

If a swift flew into a house or apartment and immediately flew out, good news awaits you. Seeing a swift hitting the glass and rushing around the apartment is bad news. If a swift breaks, this is a kind of warning of trouble.

Magpie

If a magpie lands on the windowsill and does not fly away for a long time, it means that the one who is sick in the family will soon get better.

A sign indicates a speedy recovery when a magpie actively jumps on the roof of a house, on a windowsill or on a balcony.

Crow

Most often, folk signs about crows have a negative meaning:

• if a crow arrives, hovers above you and croaks, expect big trouble;
• crows scream and circle over the church - someone will soon die in your area;
• to see on the way home sitting on a stone - an unpleasant guest will appear soon;
• sits against the sun on the roof of your house and shouts - trouble awaits you at work;
• a flock of crows flying out of the forest - there will be a lean year;
• noticed how one crow feeds another - rejoice, this phenomenon promises you great luck and success;
• a mass gathering and the cry of crows near the house - to a quarrel with a friend;
• see a dead crow - betrayal from loved ones awaits you.

Pigeon

In most cases, it is a harbinger of good events.

If a pigeon or dove flew over you and touched you with its wing, you can safely begin your planned business, it will be successful.

If a pigeon flew into the house through the ventilation, long-awaited guests will soon arrive or you will receive news from close relatives.

If he makes a nest under the roof or on the balcony, great happiness and wealth await such a person.

A dove knocks on the window - expect pleasant and cheerful guests.

Martin

There are several folk superstitions about swallows:

1. Dead in an apartment or in a house - only sorrows and tears await the owner.
2. If you died on the street and met on your way - good luck for the whole year.
3. A flying flock of swallows is always a harbinger of good events. Flew over your head - expect great luck in financial matters. If a flock flies to the newlyweds’ home, it means they will live in love and harmony all their lives.
4. If a swallow lands on your head, your wish will certainly come true.
5. A bird crashes into a car by accident - a person faces great financial losses. After the impact, the windshield cracked - there will be a big crack in your personal and financial affairs (discord, misunderstandings, waste, etc.).
6. To knock down a swallow's nest or step on it in or near your own premises means bringing disaster to your home. People believed that after such an act a fire would occur.
7. Catching and deliberately killing a swallow is a sign of depriving oneself of joy. To inadvertently cause harm is to jeopardize your own well-being.
8. If you see her building a nest in your yard, rejoice and raise your hands to her - soon you will become a happy person. To keep it in your yard, try to disturb it as little as possible.
9. A dead or wounded swallow fell to the ground right at your feet - one of your relatives will become very ill.

Signs about the weather

Folk signs based on birds help determine the weather. There are many such beliefs. The most popular of them:

1. If in the spring a magpie has built a nest high in a tree, the weather will be clear and calm for a month. If it is low, spring frosts are coming.
2. Pigeons bathing in a puddle means the day will be warm and sunny.
3. If by spring swallows fly high in the sky, signs say the weather will be good; low above the ground, it will most likely rain.
4. A woodpecker knocks on a trunk in winter - it will snow soon.
5. If sparrows hide their heads under their wings at the end of autumn, the first frosts will soon begin. If they swim in puddles, wait for warm weather.
6. A nightingale sings for several evenings in a row - expect strong and gusty winds in the coming days.
7. In winter, when there is a thaw, they swim in the water - expect slight and short-term warming.
8. Many crows have gathered near the pond - expect inclement weather (storm, rain, hurricane).
9. A flock of kites rushes in the sky and screams - expect inclement weather.

The meaning of negative signs

The worst thing is death. People have different superstitions about birds in this regard.

It doesn’t matter if she died in a chimney, drainpipe or ventilation - the omen does not bode well, only trouble. Getting hit by accident on the road is a warning sign that you should reconsider your life and change something in it.

If she died on your doorstep, be careful in communicating with strangers, perhaps there are ill-wishers among them. Bury it in the garden to neutralize negative signs about birds.

She suffered, but did not die, carefully pick her up with your hands, bring her home and try to save her. Then there will always be comfort, prosperity and happiness in your home.

Signs associated with the cemetery

Whether a bird is sitting on a grave or on its cross, you need to look where its tail is pointing - in that direction trouble will happen.

Folk signs about birds say that if a deceased person flies and sits on the fence, he gives you a sign that everything is fine with him.

Ekaterina Sergeevna Shvedova - Two signs about birds that are harbingers of misfortune

A bird flew into the window - a good or bad omen?

Other signs

Among all the existing superstitions, folk signs about birds that love to shit on us are the most popular.

A bird swearing at people means great luck and money. A sign has the same meaning if you see her droppings on your car.

As popular superstitions say, if a bird flies in and marks your work or service uniform, expect a promotion.

If she behaves anxiously and knocks on your window, expect news and most likely bad news. Such a messenger should not be driven away. Also, you shouldn’t let him in and keep him in the house, otherwise trouble will inevitably happen.

Conclusion

As you can see, folk beliefs associated with birds bring people different news and changes in life. Whether you believe in them or not is up to you.

Birds are constant heroes of folk traditions. Wild and domestic, harmless and predatory, local and exotic... Almost every bird has its place in the motley line of feathered predictors. Some of them are “responsible” only for the weather, without claiming the laurels of Nostrdamus. And someone brings news about the future. Although the birds themselves are unlikely to realize that they are messengers of fate; superstitious people assigned this role to them. But whatever happens in the world...

Folk signs about the nightingale

Many songs have been written about the inconspicuous-looking, gray singer with a golden voice. Even the most notorious pessimists do not expect harm from him. Judge for yourself: even the eternal fear of superstitious people, “a bird flying into a window brings trouble,” does not concern the nightingale.

Flew into the house

• It doesn’t matter how the bird got into the room - through a window, an open door or a chimney. In any case, the nightingale came to bestow wealth and happiness on you, and your task is to greet the messenger with dignity. Without sudden movements, so as not to frighten the feathered baby, open all the windows in the room wide and quietly go out. Let the bird find its own way to freedom.
• It is considered useful to strengthen the effect of the omen by throwing three handfuls of millet after the nightingale in gratitude for the visit. Then a good prediction is guaranteed to stay with you.

Sings

No matter how you turn it, the nightingale flies with good news

• If the nightingales give a voice, it means there will be no more frosts.
• People say that these gray birds begin to sing only when they can drink dew from a birch leaf. The poetic interpretation has a real subtext: massive nightingale trills begin to spread in the air exactly after the first leaves appear on the birch tree.
• If the gray “maestro” entertained the area all night, the day will be fine. Although some say: sunny, but windy.

Other

If in the spring you are lucky enough to hear the nightingale before the cuckoo, the summer will be fun and interesting. The first sound of cuckooing will be heard - you will be bored for all three months.

About the wagtail: what are the bad signs associated with?

The bright wagtail, also known as the pliska, together with the nightingale serves as a sign of a friendly spring. If it catches your eye, you can safely hide your fur coats and mittens in the closet. And the white wagtail bears the honorary title of the harbinger of ice drift. Once it appears, the rivers will open up in a matter of days.

Flew into the house

• A healthy and cheerful bird mistaking your window for the street is a good sign. It is believed that it brings news of a child to childless couples, and predicts financial well-being for those who already have children. And if a guest behaves so boldly that she even treats herself to crumbs from your table, it means that great happiness is rushing to you, and don’t doubt it for a minute.
• A sick wagtail symbolizes difficulties that can befall the inhabitants of the apartment. Please take note of the warning and try to be more careful.
• A wounded bird is a sign of minor troubles.

In any “situation” you need to do the same as with the nightingale: open the windows and let the wagtail fly away. And if a wounded bird gets into your apartment and you are able to help it, the prophesied troubles will bypass your home.

Hit the window and flew away or crashed and died

• A wagtail on the windowsill announces the approach of guests.
• If a bird knocks on the window, it brings news. Most likely pleasant.
• It’s bad if the bird hits the window and breaks to death. To prevent the troubles promised by the sign from falling on you, take the injured baby away from home, preferably to the park, and upon your return tie a red ribbon to the window. The color red is considered a special and powerful “antidote” to the bad message you have received. The main thing is not to strengthen it yourself with excessive nervousness.

Other

The yellow bird brings joy, the white one usheres in spring

• A yellow wagtail spotted on the street is a sign of receiving good news. Those who have been struggling with some insoluble problem for a long time, after such a meeting can receive unexpected help and deal with all the difficulties in one fell swoop.
• It is considered a colossal success to find a wagtail's nest. If you succeed, expect something big! Just don’t touch the nest, otherwise the prediction won’t come true.
• There is also this version of the sign: a multi-colored wagtail brings joy and fun; seeing white ones means quarrels and tears. As luck would have it, you came across a light-colored bird? Monitor your behavior so as not to provoke a quarrel with loved ones.

About the woodpecker

But for some reason the signs didn’t like this hard worker in the red cap. Strange affair. What did our ancestors not like about the diligent and generally useful forest doctor?

Meet a spotted bird on the street, in the forest, near the house

• If you have been suffering from a chronic illness for a long time or feel a loss of energy, try forest walks. Legends assure that the health of a person who catches a “tree doctor” at work will quickly improve. Of course, fresh air and physical activity work wonders even without a woodpecker... But why argue with a good omen?
• But for some reason our ancestors considered a meeting with a bird in a populated area to be a sign of a sharp deterioration in their financial situation. Although it is impossible to trace the logic of the sign. What does a woodpecker care how tight your wallet is?
• If a bird takes a liking to the fence near the garden, the summer will be rich in worms. It is clear that for such a prediction the homely housewives did not like the feathered worker, because the worms destroyed the harvest. But what does the woodpecker have to do with it? That's why he became interested in the fence, because there were plenty of larvae there.

A woodpecker in the forest is a good omen, near the house it is an alarming omen

It’s really bad if a bird appears near your home:

• A woodpecker knocks on the roof - prophesies misfortune.
• Picking at the wall - one of the residents survives. Some call this a sign of the death of a person unwanted by the bird, while others believe that he will only have to move.
• If a barn, a bathhouse or any other non-residential building comes under the blows of a sharp beak, mice will start there.

Knocks on the window or breaks on the glass

The woodpecker rarely shows enough interest in human habitation to begin breaking through windows. Rather, he will be attracted by a wooden frame with illegal “settlers”! But if there is plastic in the windows, and the bird continues to jump on the windowsill and knock, signs advise you to beware of gossips. Perhaps in the coming days someone will try to incite false accusations against the inhabitants of the house or harm them in some other way.

A woodpecker that swoops down on your clean glass by mistake is no different from any other bird. It's sad, but there's no point in beating yourself up about it. It’s better to “get rid of the body” as soon as possible and hurry up to get the red ribbon and ward off the negativity. A regular shower is also considered a good remedy. Stand under it for a few minutes, imagining how the water washes away all your fears and misgivings, and then carries them with it into the drain hole.

Other

But anyone who hears the cry of a woodpecker will not have to fear for their life or the peace of their loved ones. The lucky one will have a wedding with his loved one and a big party.

About the parrot

Although the parrot is “not our bird,” it has settled in modern apartments long ago, firmly, and has managed to acquire its own characteristics. A cute lovebird or a noisy macaw can become not only an adored pet, but also a personal mascot for the family.

domestic parrot

• Budgerigars create an atmosphere of warmth and comfort, amuse children, and bring joy to adults. And in the esoteric understanding they contribute to family unity.
• Large parrots represent courage, agility, calculation bordering on cunning, and perseverance. If a person has been struggling with an inferiority complex all his life, let him add a cockatoo or a cockatiel to himself and try to gain from them the qualities that are so lacking.
• A parrot of any breed brings prosperity to the house. Although, rather, the opposite is true: before the revolution, only very wealthy people could have an exotic talker at home. Over time, the sign “A parrot in the house means the family is prosperous” developed.

A stranger has arrived: should we catch him?

Would such a beauty predict bad things?

We all know that taking someone else's property is not good. Apparently, this is why, in the understanding of popular belief, a kind and completely positive parrot instantly transforms into a malicious dirty trick if it does not belong to us. A guest flying onto a balcony or into an apartment predicts:

• Big trouble.
• Minor fuss and excitement.
• News: both good and bad.

...And sometimes a parrot is considered a sign of a new addition to the family, so don’t be foolish. And do not discount the opinion of esotericists who consider every bird that flies into the house to be the embodiment of the soul of the person who loved you. It is believed that if you catch such a parrot and place it in your home, it will protect your family from troubles. Still in doubt? Then think that by your action you will save the life of a tropical bird, which would certainly die on the street. And this is already a good deed and a plus for karma. But for complete peace of mind, check if anyone is posting missing parrot notices around the area.

Signs about birds of prey (hawk or eagle, falcon or kite)

Meeting a feathered predator in a city is such an extraordinary event that to many it seems like a real miracle and, naturally, immediately makes one think about signs. Although in reality there is nothing incredible here. Even in some areas of such a large metropolis as Moscow, there is a small representative of the falcon genus - the kestrel, which sometimes very dashingly makes turns among high-rise buildings and grabs small birds! But whatever the situation, there are some very interesting signs about birds of prey.

Flies over the yard, next to the apartment

sat on the window or flew into the house

Small species of feathered predators are found even in city parks

• A white eagle on a windowsill promises large cash receipts or a rich inheritance.
• An eagle that hits glass or a window grill foreshadows extremely important news... and, most likely, a visit to the glazier.
• If a falcon lands on the windowsill, either a wedding or a move to a new place is coming up. Or maybe both - celebrate the special occasion and go to your spouse’s place of residence.

Flew onto the balcony or into the house

Despite the fact that the falcon is a notorious predator, its appearance in a living space bodes well. It is important here that the bird leaves the apartment without crashing against the wall and without harming the residents out of fright.

Sat on his head: is it a good sign?

• Almost every bird of prey that circles a person carries a warning to him to be careful and not to trust everyone. There is a high risk of becoming a victim of deception!
• A hawk emerging from behind the traveler's left shoulder symbolizes danger.
• But the eagle is a happy exception. The bird king serves as a sign of great luck and victory over enemies and circumstances. Even if it seems that everything is against you, and your plans are falling apart one after another, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and boldly rush into battle. Success will definitely come!

Only a brave and strong person can conquer the eagle.

The chances that a bird of prey will decide to take a break on a pedestrian's head are approximately zero point one. The more valuable is such a sign! A bird on the head always serves as a sign of a person’s chosenness, and a bird with a “fighting” disposition is even more so. You won't become a Sith Lord, but you definitely won't miss out on what you want in life.

Other

• If you kill an eagle, you will take upon yourself a terrible sin.
• If you pull eggs from an eagle's nest, you will not know peace until your last breath.
• However, an egg boiled and divided between two comrades forces witches throughout the area to hastily pack their bags and look for a new place of residence.

About other birds (forest, domestic and others)

There are birds that are not so generous with signs. But they make their contribution to warning about possible problems and joys in human life. And those who do not try to look into the future successfully cope with the role of meteorologists.

When are cranes supposed to fly?

A flock of cranes is a lucky sign

• If the crane wedge flies low, winter will come early; high - winter is far away.
• If the cranes appear early in the spring, the spring will be friendly.
• In summer, birds silently soaring in the sky foreshadow dry and sunny weather.
• A loud flock warns of rain.
• One crane is a symbol of loneliness and illness.
• A flock of cranes is a sign of a close-knit family and the arrival of a long-awaited child.

Seagull: flying low or perched on the water

Hoopoe flew into the room

A conspicuous bird with a beautiful crest, encountered on the street, brings news of serious financial difficulties and... the discovery of a valuable golden item. Such a contradictory comrade.

Hoopoe predicts a noisy celebration

If a hoopoe flies into the room, it warns about:

• Visiting distant relatives.
• Festive festivities. Wait for an invitation to an anniversary or wedding.
• Useless work. Either someone will cheat you out of payment, or you spend half a day assembling a new cabinet for the kitchen, and then find out that there is no way to squeeze it in between the stove and the refrigerator.
• The song of a hoopoe promises a meeting with a boastful person.

Heron

The bird does not indulge in good signs, but it guesses the weather with a bang.

• A meeting with a heron warns that you have to deal with someone belligerent, because this bird itself is quite aggressive towards other birds. For example, it often drives rooks out of their nests.
• By the way, if such a robbery takes place on someone’s property, its owners will face difficult trials.
• However, herons cannot be killed. The death of a bird also brings misfortune.
• Before it rains, the heron rises high into the sky, and before sunny weather it begins to scream.
• If flocks of herons move to the north, expect warming, to the south - cold weather and rain.

White swan built a nest

• A symbol of fidelity and love, this bird brings good luck to those who see it floating on the water. If you are still looking for a life partner, say: “Be with a couple,” and your soulmate will definitely come into your life. If you see a snow-white handsome man soaring high in the sky, do the same, and the omen will work even more accurately. Just don’t even think about doubting the bird’s bright magic. Immediately search for your chosen one with full faith in success and upcoming happiness!
• Whoever kills a swan will either die within a year, or his financial situation will deteriorate significantly. As they say, “Money for money!”
• If the birds take to the air en masse, a strong wind will soon blow up.
• The higher the swan's nest is located, the rainier the summer will be. By the way, legend says that swan chicks hatch from their eggs only during a thunderstorm along with thunderclaps.
• Another belief says: once in its life, before dying, a bird sings its only, but incredibly beautiful song. Alas, this is just a legend, because swans cannot sing.

If you see a turtledove (wild pigeon)

Formerly wild, the turtle dove has long been no longer afraid to settle in cities

The mysterious, modest turtle dove is the closest relative of ordinary pigeons. It is distinguished by its small size, elegance and adherence to one color of plumage. There are no black or white turtledoves.

• If a bird cries in the forest, good news is promised to everyone who hears it.
• Making a nest under the roof or on the balcony will bring happiness and wealth to the owners. But if you drive away the turtledove and throw out the nest, instead of good luck you will have troubles.
• When the turtledove coos all day in the morning, there is no need to worry about rain.

What does a jay prophesy to a person?

The jay has a complicated reputation. She is a robber, and a protector, and that same Blue Bird of Happiness about which so many legends have been written. The blue jay has nine mirrors on its azure wings that reveal the future if you look closely at them.

Jay - the mythical blue bird of good luck and happiness

And if a bird screams and calls you somewhere, you absolutely must obey it - you won’t go wrong. The jay is even given a separate day in the folk calendar, December 11, and the winged patroness will give a happy destiny to anyone born on it.

If starlings do not fly away for a long time

• The April starling is the messenger of spring. If the starlings begin to fly in, then spring is on the doorstep.
• If birds jump in flocks across the fields, looking for food, good weather will prevail for a long time.
• When starlings do not fly away for a long time in autumn, it will be protracted, dry and warm.

Oriole

In Scotland, the oriole was suspected of having connections with evil spirits

• An oriole near the road predicts joy and wealth, and near the house - misfortune.
• When you hear a bird singing, you know that something good is waiting ahead.
• Sharp and loud bird calls promise bad weather.
• In Rus', the murder of an innocent bird threatened a person with numerous problems, which he had to deal with alone, without hope of help and support from loved ones.
• And in the country of stern mountaineers they believed that killing an accomplice of dark forces was not a sin. And who would even think of suspecting a bird of evil inclinations?

The lively black bird also fell victim to a human slander. The Russian people called her a voluntary assistant to sorcerers and witches, and the Poles even managed to reward her with an unpleasant pedigree - they say, the devil cut out a wolf that was meaner and had more teeth, threw shavings into the grass, and from it a flock of jackdaws rose into the air. It is clear that meeting such a bird was considered a bad sign. Especially if the jackdaw decides to scream while looking at the traveler! Here it was imperative to inform the prophetess: “You are croaking at your own head.”

The noisy jackdaw is not the best predictor

• In Europe, it is customary to fear only a solitary bird. One jackdaw on a chimney or roof ridge means death, but a flock of jackdaws means the birth of a child and replenishment of the budget.
• The more restless the birds behave, the worse the weather will be. If the flock screams all day, you can safely stock up on rubber boots and umbrellas - the rain will last for a long time.
• If, when sitting on trees, birds huddle close to the trunks, expect heavy winds.
• Jackdaws fly high in the cold and land on the ground when it thaws.
• The jackdaw is bathing - spring is beginning.

What does the cry of a peacock mean?

The cry of a peacock predicts significant changes in fate, which will surprise you a lot. Fortunately, they will be positive.

Robin on the tree

Seeing a pheasant means a change in weather

Not a single rain will pass the attention of a sensitive bird

• Before rainy weather, pheasants hide in the bushes, and before dry weather they sit in trees.
• If in the evening the birds vocalized for a long time and calmed down with great difficulty, the morning will be clear.

A rook in the sky is a special sign

Judging by the abundance of weather signs inherited by this bird, the rook was entrusted with a serious mission to set the timing of agricultural work, make meteorological forecasts and predict the future harvest. For our agricultural ancestors, the rook was definitely an “important bird.”

Rooks settling in the yard were considered a bad omen. The family on whose land the birds would settle was threatened with a protracted financial crisis and childlessness. Meanwhile, a flock of rooks that gets into the habit of flying into the yard to “stay” brings a period of incredible prosperity. Whatever the owners have in mind, everything will be given to them with ease.

Trusting all birds without exception is a thankless task. Thanks to the disturbed ecology, even weather signs, which have faithfully served farmers for centuries, are now failing. But if some bird predicts a good turn in fate, why not believe her? A good mood is always useful.

Many superstitions are associated with birds. There are different, positive and negative, folk signs about birds. People meet them every day under any circumstances. They can prompt or warn about unexpected changes in life, report good or bad news or events.

Folk signs about birds

Folk signs about birds can help you cope with the unknown and avoid dangerous life situations. Since ancient times, people have observed various natural phenomena and their impact on life. This connection is reflected in signs. We should not neglect the knowledge that has been formed and passed on from generation to generation for hundreds of years.

Folk signs include:

• natural phenomena;
• weather;
• animal world.

People have created a variety of superstitions about birds. Long-term observation of life and the characteristics of their behavior allowed people to compare it with climate change and changes in their own lives.

Any bird, whether wild or domestic, can tell a lot of stories. You just need to be careful and listen to what your intuition tells you.

Signs about wild birds

If you rely on the wisdom of folk wisdom, then when a bird of prey circles over a person for a long time, this can be a warning of betrayal.

1. If you notice an eagle above your head, then this is a good sign and predicts the speedy realization of your desired goals.
2. When a flock of birds flies towards a person, this is a sign of success.
3. If you heard a nightingale singing, then expect success in an important matter.
4. If you hear an owl or an owl near your home, expect more to come soon.
5. Seeing a wagtail nearby is a sign of positive changes in life.
6. If you see a sick or dead wagtail, you should beware of failure.
7. The appearance of a jay may herald the beginning of a happy stage in life. If you follow the bird, you may come across signs of fate that open the way to happiness.
8. If a hoopoe often flies to your home or has even settled there and built a nest for itself, then you should be more careful about your own finances.

Signs about poultry

When people talk about poultry, chicken and rooster immediately come to mind. The crowing of a rooster on the threshold of a house foreshadows the arrival of imminent guests. If brood hens behave anxiously at night and do not fall asleep, then soon disagreements and disputes with neighbors are possible.

If you keep geese at home, they can promptly indicate possible troubles in the near future. It is considered a bad sign if a goose lays 2 eggs or when a goose disappears from the yard for any reason.

Signs about city birds

The swallow, magpie, crow, and dove live in cities, which has led to the emergence of many superstitions associated with them.

1. When a swallow has built a nest near your window, this bodes only good things and good luck will favor your home. But if the bird suddenly leaves the nest, then this is bad, luck has turned away from you for some reason.
2. If any bird easily flies into your window and soon flies out, then positive news awaits you. If the bird was restlessly darting around the entire room, you can prepare for equally disturbing news.
3. When a magpie flies near a sick person, you can expect a quick and successful recovery. Such a positive outcome can be evidenced by the rather energetic jumping of the magpie around the neighborhood of the house.
4. Crows are associated with not the best omens, but still these are not harbingers of bad things, but only signs from fate. When a crow flies overhead for a long time and croaks quite loudly, you should expect trouble, and if a bird croaks on the roof of a church, then someone will die soon.
5. When a dove unexpectedly swoops down on you, this is a reason for joy; it tells you that any business you have in mind will definitely succeed.

Signs about the weather

There are a huge number of signs about the weather associated with birds:

• if a magpie has built a nest at a high altitude, then the next month promises sunny and little windy weather, but if the nest is located quite low, bad weather should be expected;
• when a crow screams loudly and does not stop moving from place to place, rain is expected;
• a high flight of a swallow means clear weather, and a low flight means bad weather;
• The return of a swallow from warm climes in early spring means an imminent thunderstorm; there should be weather favorable for growing crops.

Hoopoe - Bird of the Year 2016

The Russian Bird Conservation Union selects the bird of the year based on the following criteria: The bird must be widespread so that as many people as possible can participate in its study and protection;

It must be well recognizable so that not only ornithologists can easily identify it in nature;

The species should be such that everyone can provide specific assistance in solving the problems of the bird of the year, for example, take part in population counts, help solve a housing problem, or protect habitats.

The Hoopoe, the 2016 Bird of the Year, ticks all of those boxes. This is one of the brightest and most memorable birds in our country.

The contrasting color is unusual - dark and white stripes on the red plumage. On the head there is a lush “Mohawk” crest, which the bird either folds at the back of its head or unfolds in all its splendor. The male and female are almost identically colored, only the females are slightly less bright, and they do not have a pinkish coating on their chest.

Both the Russian and Latin names of the bird (Upupa epops) are clearly onomatopoeic: the hoopoe's song is a dull, repeated "up-up-up" sound.

In our country, the hoopoe is a migratory bird. It usually appears at the end of April, and flies away for the winter at the end of summer or autumn. Outside Russia, hoopoes nest in Europe, Central, South Asia and Southeast Asia, Africa and Madagascar.

Depending on the geographic latitude, the bird can be sedentary, nomadic or migratory. The hoopoe is common only in the southern regions of our country. The closer to the northern border of the range, the lower its numbers. In a number of subjects of the Federation, the species is listed in the regional Red Books (for example, Lipetsk, Moscow, Tver, Kirov, Novosibirsk and Tomsk regions, the republics of Bashkortostan, Mari El, Tatarstan, Udmurtia).

In the list of the main limiting factors for this bird, experts name: a shortage of hollow trees, severe competitive pressure from starlings in the fight for nesting sites, vulnerability at the boundaries of the range, suboptimal climatic conditions for the species’ habitat in a significant part of the range, deterioration of living conditions on wintering grounds, and disturbance factor , destruction of nests by humans and domestic animals, development of territories suitable for nesting.

Agricultural problems in recent decades have also contributed to the decline in the number of hoopoes. These bright birds disappear both in places of intensive agricultural activity and in places where arable land, pastures and vegetable gardens are no longer cultivated... The hoopoe often settles not far from human habitation. The hoopoe's favorite food is mole crickets and their larvae. If you want to preserve your harvest, invite the hoopoe to guard your garden, build an artificial nest for it. The bird of the year will willingly settle in a birdhouse with an extended entrance or a nest box, but you can make a shelter for it from an old broken tree trunk or build a house from several bricks.

BY THE WAY, The image of a hoopoe in poetry: “A crowned bird...” “With fire wings the dappled expanses...” “Golden bird, fly, circle...” In honor of the hoopoe In In In Israel, in a competition in 2008, out of ten birds, chose the hoopoe as their national bird. The hoopoe, which wears a natural crown on its head, is found in gardens and fields throughout the country.

Isn't it a funny picture?

Hoopoes are from the passerine family.

Hoopoe - as we know for sure from books,

We will meet in the eastern hemisphere.

"Crown" of his crested head

Will also decorate the palace chambers

The pattern on ancient tapestries,

Hung on the walls during holidays.

Peoples are worthy of pity,

Never met a hoopoe!

In Russia - the main species, “hoopoe - hollow”,

In the south he often wanders along the paths,

Pecks worms and various insects,

Sometimes - even in the garden beds near the house...

In classical Chinese poetry, the hoopoe, revered as a model of beauty, is often represented as a messenger of the gods, bringing news of the approach of spring. So now, since the hoopoe is the bird of the year in Russia - 2016, we can also congratulate ourselves on eternal spring! Oh, what a graceful bird she is!

Every year, the Russian Bird Conservation Union selects the bird of the year. In 2016, the hoopoe replaced the redstart in this category. We bring to your attention some interesting facts about this bird.

For example, Russians most often perceived the bird’s characteristic sounds “hoop-hoop-hoop” as the phrase “It’s bad here!” And here Gerald Durrell in the book “Garden of the Gods” he talks about a wounded bird he took into his house: “I named my hoopoe Hiawatha, and its appearance in our midst was met with unanimous approval, because my relatives liked hoopoes, and besides, it was the only exotic species that they could all identify at twenty paces.”

As noted by Polit.ru, all candidate birds must meet several conditions: have a wide distribution, people must easily recognize and distinguish the bird from other species without special training, and everyone must be able to provide specific assistance to the bird, for example, take part in population counts, help solve a housing problem or protect habitats. As it turned out, the hoopoe perfectly meets all the criteria: when we see a bird, we can easily recognize it.

What is so special about the hoopoe?

1. The most striking external feature of a hoopoe is a crest on its head made of red feathers with black tips.. Usually it is folded, but sometimes the bird opens it in the form of a fan. The main color of the hoopoe's plumage is reddish, from pale ocher to bright red depending on the bird's habitat (usually brighter in the south). The color is more intense on the chest of the bird, and the abdomen is rather whitish. On the back and wings of the hoopoe there is a contrasting pattern of black and white stripes.

2. Hoopoe is widespread. Hoopoes are found much more often in the south; in the north they are rare. Biologists believe that hoopoes began to settle in the north relatively late, when people began to reduce the northern forests to pastures and fields. Hoopoes love open spaces, interspersed with forests and groves, do not avoid gardens and parks, and can nest in human buildings, although the best place for a hoopoe nest is a hollow tree. In the north of its range, the hoopoe is a migratory bird; it flies to Africa or India for the winter. In India, Indochina, Arabia and Africa, the hoopoe is a sedentary bird. In Europe, resident hoopoes are known only in southern Spain and Portugal.

In Russia, the hoopoe was included in several regional Red Books. This bird can be found throughout Eastern Europe from Poland to Greece, Italy, France, Spain and Portugal. In Germany, hoopoes are found only in certain areas; they are occasionally found in southern Sweden, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, the Netherlands and England. Hoopoe is also widespread in Asia from Turkey to China, and in Africa (except for the desert zone). In 1975, hoopoes were first spotted in Alaska, in the Yukon River delta.

3. During a hoopoe's flight can rise to great heights, overcoming the Himalayan mountains. Participants in one of the expeditions that conquered Everest noticed hoopoes at an altitude of 6400 meters.

4. Many peoples celebrated The characteristic cry of a hoopoe is a muffled “whoop-oop-oop” or “hoop-hoop-hoop”. The cry of the bird gives its Latin name - upupa , and ancient Greek - ἔποψ , their combination became the official name of hoopoe in biological nomenclature - Upupa epops . The onomatopoeic origin of the names of hoopoe in many other languages: English hoopoe, Arabic هُدْهُد‎, Armenian հոպոպ, Catalan puput, Chechen hӏuttut, Czech dudek, Irish húpú, Kurdish (sorani) pepû, Latvian pupuķis, Lithuanian kukutis, Macedonian pupunets, Portuguese poupa, Romanian pupăză.

Russians most often perceived the “hoop-hoop-hoop” of the hoopoe like the phrase “It’s bad here!” and was considered an evil omen (in some areas there was even the name “hudututka”) for the hoopoe. There was also folk sign: if it seemed to the peasants that the hoopoe was shouting “It’s bad here!”, the harvest would be bad, but if they heard the cry “I’ll be here!”, then they expected a rich harvest . In the south of Russia and Ukraine, it was believed that the cry of a hoopoe foreshadows rain, hence another name for it in Ukrainian dialects – slotnyak, from the word slot “bad weather”. In some regions of Ukraine, the hoopoe was called “sinokos”, since it was believed that it screams on the eve of haymaking time.

5. According to the legend that existed in Volyn, The hoopoe was once the king of birds, but wanted to become a bird god. God punished the hoopoe for this, giving him a forelock on his head and a disgusting smell. In the Caucasus, other legends about the appearance of the crest were told. They said that one day the father-in-law found his daughter-in-law combing her hair. Out of shame at being seen with bare hair, the woman asked to be turned into a bird, and the comb remained stuck in her hair. This plot is known in the folklore of Azerbaijanis, Armenians and Rutulians.

6. In Poland they said that the Jews brought the hoopoe with them from other countries, and also that it screams in Hebrew. In the Lviv region it was believed that the hoopoe pronounces the name of the Jews: “Yud-yud!”, and near Brest, in the cry of the hoopoe they heard “Vus-vus-vus?” - “What-what-what?” in Yiddish.

7. Another noticeable sign of a hoopoe is smell. In hoopoe chicks and the female, during the period of incubation of eggs, the coccygeal gland produces a special black-brown liquid with a very unpleasant odor. In a moment of danger, the bird can release a stream of this liquid, also mixed with droppings, at the enemy. As a rule, this measure is enough to scare away a cat or weasel trying to destroy the nest.

The smell of hoopoe was well known to people, and this gave rise to a number of dialect names: Ukrainian smerdyukha, vonyak, gidko, Serbian smrdul, smrdel. A number of folk signs have been associated with the smell of hoopoe. So in the south of Russia they believed that if you hold a hoopoe in your hands, you won’t be able to get your hands on the horse.

Perhaps because of its characteristic smell, the hoopoe was among the birds that devout Jews were forbidden to eat (Deuteronomy 14:18, Leviticus 11:19). Another reason that the hoopoe was declared non-kosher may have been the bird's craving for manure.

Hoopoes feed on insects, and piles of dung have always attracted a variety of flies and beetles, from where they can be easily picked up by the hoopoe's curved, tweezer-like beak.

In Transcarpathia there was a legend that explained the smell of the hoopoe as a punishment for betraying the hiding Christ to his pursuers.

According to a legend from Algeria, the hoopoe was punished by King Solomon for his offense. It’s as if Solomon’s beloved once asked him to build her a house out of eggs. The king ordered all the birds and fish to bring eggs. Only Sparrow and Hoopoe did not do this. Solomon ordered them to be brought to him. The sparrow, appearing before the king, said that he did not dare bring such a small egg to such a great king. Hoopoe explained his delay by saying that he was thinking about important questions: “Which is longer - night or day?”, “Who is more alive or dead? men or women? The hoopoe also reported on the results of his thoughts. The day is longer than the night, as the light of the moon prolongs it. There are more living people because they talk about the recently deceased and the great as if they were still alive. And there are more women than men, because a fool who demands to build a house of eggs is not a man.

But the Berbers in southern Morocco considered the hoopoe a loving son. When his mother died, he could not bury her in the ground, but began to carry her on his head. As a result, the mother turned into his crest, and the hoopoe acquired an unpleasant odor.