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Valentine Bird Day
"A day, and then a week away,
Yet still the redbird sings,
A flame of song that lights the day
With gleams of golden wings.
A voice that echoes in the heart,
A glow that floods the eye,
A joy of which the soul is part,
A passion-winged cry!
O fiery-throated cardinal,
Sing loud, sing long, sing true!
For though the winter holds us thrall,
Thy song is summer’s due!"
~ The Cardinal bird, William Davis Gallagher (1808-1894)
Throughout the Middle Ages in England and France, a charming belief took flight—that birds began searching for their mates on Valentine’s Day. Among them, the cardinal, often called the Valentine Bird or Redbird, stands out as a vivid splash of color in the wintry February landscape. Unlike many North American songbirds, both male and female cardinals can sing, and during courtship, the male often feeds the female beak-to-beak, a touching display of affection!
Birds have long been woven into Valentine’s Day folklore, particularly through ornithomancy—a form of romantic divination using signs from birds. In times past, it was said that the first bird a single woman spotted on Valentine’s morning might reveal the character of her future husband:
❤️ Cardinal (Redbird) – Seeing a bright red cardinal is believed to signify love on the horizon or a message from a future suitor.
❤️ Robin – A robin near your home is a sign that love is coming soon.
🦢 Swans – Swans symbolize true love and loyalty. Seeing a pair of swans is considered a sign of a lasting union.
🕊️ Doves – A white dove is a symbol of love and a peaceful marriage.
💛 Canary signified a doctor
🧡 Goldfinch foretold wealth
🖤 Magpies – In British folklore, counting magpies predicted romantic fortune:
"One for sorrow, two for joy, three for a girl, four for a boy,
Five for silver, six for gold, seven for a secret never to be told."
Happy Birdwatching! Chirp! Chirp! 💚 ❤️ 💙 💛 💜 🐦 ❤️ 🐦
There was a popular notion in England and France during the Middle Ages that birds started to look for their mates on Valentine's Day, February 14. The brilliant red cardinal, also known as the redbird, is one such harbinger of this day, standing out against the winter landscape amongst all other birds. The bright red males are easily spotted, especially in the winter. Female cardinals are brown with a dusty red crest.
Cardinal pairs mate for life and stay together year-round. Mated pairs sometimes sing together before nesting. During courtship they may also participate in a bonding behavior where the male collects food and brings it to the female, feeding her beak-to-beak.
Cardinals do not migrate and have a year round presence, and their call sounds precisely like the words “cheer, cheer,” giving rise to the superstition that seeing one is an auspicious omen.
The word cardinal itself is derived from the Latin word cardo, meaning hinge or axis. Like a hinge on a door, the cardinal has been seen in many cultures as the hinge on the doorway between the earthly and spirit world, carrying messages back and forth.
The cardinal is the state bird of Indiana (as well as many other states in the US).
For more on the folklore and habits of the cardinal bird and the etymology of its name, click the cardinal!