Female and searching for hints of a future mate on Valentine’s Day? Turn to the ancient art of ornithomancy, as practiced by the ancient Greeks and Romans. It was claimed that the first bird spotted by an unmarried woman on Valentine’s Day hints at her future husband’s occupation. In more frigid northern climes this does rather limit the choice:
Crow: omen that you should walk away from current relationship
Dove: happy and loving marriage
Duck: relationship will be homely and stable
Goose: teacher, journalist, marketing
Gull: travels a great deal to work
Nuthatch: scientist or mathematician
Owl: involved in research or an academic
Pigeon: eventually return to the place he grew up
Sparrow: farmer, tree surgeon
Starling: works for a major organization
Turkey: passionate about environment, a nature lover
Those residing in more clement climes have a considerably broader choice. These include, along with those listed above:
Bird of Prey: politician, businessman
Blackbird: vicar or aid worker
Blue Bird: comedian
Canary: a doctor
Finch: salesman or hairdresser
Goldfinch: rich man
Magpie: entrepreneur
Peacock: pride in appearance
Pheasant: hardworking, tenacious
Robin: naval officer or fisherman
Swan: artist, writer, dancer and loyal
Swift: sportsman
Woodpecker: no marriage for the present
You might want to pluck out the pigeon. Joey Slinger notes in his wonderful Down & Dirty Birding (1996:) “[In 1606 a Paris lawyer named Marc] Lescarbot brought the pigeon from Europe with dinner in mind. Even given that the French take intellectual guidance from their stomachs, it is hard to think if what he did as fabulously smart. It has been downhill from there.”
Wes Porter is a horticultural consultant and writer based in Toronto. Wes has over 40 years of experience in both temperate and tropical horticulture from three continents.
