Registrar: Steve Holleran
Participants: 10
Weather: Warm, in well lighted rooms
Combining his birding expertise with a lifelong love of art and a detailed knowledge of the museum’s collection, Kevin led us through centuries of bird-related images, from ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome through the Middle Ages and into the Renaissance, Baroque, and Romantic periods. We explored the significance of birds in all of these cultures, depicted as everything from military mascots to symbols of virtue, food resources, and divine intermediaries, all while enjoying the beauty of the artworks and the leisurely fun of watching birds that don’t move.
While the birds were very cooperative, many were highly stylized and some completely imaginary. Here are some of the ones we recognized, and some of the things they’re thought to represent.
Species List
Ibis (Egyptian god Thoth, wisdom, magic, hieroglyphic symbol)
Doves (peace, purity, Holy Spirit, messengers)
Ducks, Geese (food offerings mostly)
Swans (fidelity, love, Greek god Zeus)
Eagles (coins, military mascots)
European Goldfinch (joy, renewal, redemption)
Falcons (Egyptian god Horus, kinship, hieroglyphic symbol)
Owls (wisdom, Greek goddess Athena)
Parrots, Macaws (decorative)(Note: eBird would question the identity of some of these)
Peacocks (luxury, wealth)
Rooster (reawakening)
Raven (divine guidance)
