February gardening: the ancient art of ornithomancy
Ornithomancy Is for the Birds – and Single Women
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 -- Bio and
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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.
