People around the world and throughout history have used birds to think about and predict the future. Of all the ecological knowledge people around the world use in their day-to-day lives, an awareness of birds and bird behaviour is among the most ubiquitous. Half of all bird signs were heard – that is, they related to birds’ calls or song. This intimate knowledge of what birds can tell us is also often reflected in the names given to them. An example is the longstanding practice of European avimancy: foretelling one’s personal or political luck with birds.

Source: The North Africa Journal February 26, 2020 11:03 UTC