#ornithomancy

Excerpt from free article on Patreon.

Once you feel you have a good grasp of your local birds and their behaviors, you can start to develop your own personal avian "dictionary." Chances are you already associate certain birds with certain concepts (e.g. doves with peace or owls with wisdom), but you can expand upon these associations with the knowledge you gain through observation and research.

While it may be tempting to run to Google for traditional symbolic interpretations of birds, building your own symbolic dictionary will be much more rewarding as well as personal to you and your practice. Here are some suggestions on how to start developing your dictionary:

Consider rarity. An elusive bird will make a more compelling omen than a common backyard bird such as a chickadee or house finch. For example, pileated woodpeckers, while being resident birds in my area, are seldom spotted on my morning walks (though I do often hear their calls from a distance). When I see one cross my path or forage in my yard, I consider their appearance an omen.

Consider colors. This may not be as reliable for symbolism depending on where you live. Wetter/tropical climates will tend to see more colorful birds, whereas hot, dry climates (e.g. southwestern U.S.) will see more drab birds in browns, grays, and blacks.

Consider aesthetic features. Is there a unique feature about a bird that draws your attention, e.g. an erect crest or billowing tail feathers? Perhaps the cute face of a tufted titmouse inspires feelings of innocence or naivety, while the speckled iridescence of a starling puts you in mind of otherworldly realms.

Consider songs and calls. Perhaps a territorial song speaks to you of maintaining your boundaries, or the raucous cacophony of crows mobbing a hawk alerts you to imminent conflict.

Based on what you've observed and learned about a bird, what associations come to mind when you see one? Perhaps you've observed the darling courtship behavior of cardinals—in which the male often feeds the female—and you begin to associate cardinals with love and attentiveness. Or perhaps you've noticed how bold and fearless your chickadees are, even in the face of apparent danger. The acrobatics of a nuthatch might put you in mind of the Fool card...and so on and so forth.

Pay attention to your own emotional reaction upon seeing or hearing a certain bird. Which birds fill you with excitement? Which fill you with awe or even dread? These emotions are key for interpreting signs and omens.

Attribute archetypes to your birds for quick interpretation. You can use tarot for this. For example, perhaps you feel a great horned owl embodies the High Priestess, while a bald eagle represents the Emperor.

Consider position and location. Is the bird in flight? On a conspicuous perch? Sitting on your windowsill? In the middle of the road? What do you associate with these positions?

Consider other environmental details. Is the bird the only one of its kind in a mixed flock? Is it in light or shadow? What is the weather like? Is the bird surrounded by lush, blooming foliage or decay? You can glean additional meaning by reading the "scene" around the bird(s), much like you would with tarot or oracle cards.

I practice ornithomancy, or divination through the movement and presence of birds. I live in an area in North America well known for its amazing avians, so I take advantage of that for my practice.

My divination is something that I connect to my werewolfiness. In the way that ravens lead wolves to prey and signal them, the same mutualism is echoed in the messages I discern from my local birds. It's also not something I would be able to teach another person. It's something that I learned through my interactions with the world.

The meanings that a hawk has for me might not be the same as it is for a werebunny or werepigeon. I also take into account where the bird is, how many there are, what they are doing, their surroundings, and what's happening in my own life. For example, a pigeon on a line is going to mean something different alone as opposed to in a large group. Because they're situational, the meanings are divined on-the-spot.

ORNITHOMANCY: A GUIDE FOR BEGINNERS

Here's a gift post for all my members! As an avid birdwatcher and avian enthusiast, I had a lot of fun writing this one. Topics include:

BUILDING OBSERVATIONAL SKILLS

DEVELOPING SYMBOLIC LANGUAGE

DIFFERENTIATING BETWEEN SIGNS AND COMMON BEHAVIORS

MAKING ORNITHOMANCY YOUR OWN

EXAMPLES FROM MY OWN PRACTICE