A History of Bad Bird Omens

Bad bird omens

A history of Bad bird omens. Halloween is upon us and there’s no better time to immerse yourself in the history of some of the UK’s best bad omens and superstitions around our favourite wild birds. With the UK’s vast and detailed history, we’ve collected a number of intriguing and unexplainable suspicions when it comes to our wildlife. From white rabbits to black cats, there are plenty of spooky omens surrounding our feathered friends to get us creeped out in time for All Hallows’ Eve!

Count Your Crows

Crows have always had a sense of impending doom that surrounded them, there’s something about the cry of a crow that instantly unnerves us and adds a sense of foreboding. There are many superstitions that surround these birds, but the most well known are the ways in which crows can offer good or bad luck. If a crow crosses your path, it is often considered bad luck, if two passes you, it is a sign of good luck. Other superstitions are that if a single crow is seen sitting on top of the roof of your house, you can expect some bad news.

How many crows can you spot?

Good Morning Mr Magpie

The famous rhyme in which you count magpies to determine your fate is widely known by all generations: One for sorrow, Two for joy, Three for a girl, Four for a boy, Five for silver, Six for gold, Seven for a secret, never to be told. Much like crows, magpies have a long history of superstitions. This is one of the reasons many people will salute a magpie when they see one, to help them ward off bad luck. They also have different suspicions in different parts of the world, like in European folklore, where magpies are often depicted as thieves.

Keep Your Wild Birds Outside

Another bad omen for our beloved wild birds is if one should happen to make its way into your home. This superstition dates back to when omens and myths held a lot more weight and a cause for concern. Any unusual behaviour from animals was considered a bad omen and having a bird fly into your home was often seen as a sign of bad luck, or even worse, a death in the family! There’s no cause for concern during these colder months though, as wild birds often find themselves inside your home during the warmer months, when you tend to leave your windows open for long periods of time. You can encourage your birds to stay in the garden where they belong by offering up some tasty wild bird food, giving them all the reason to keep to the outdoors.

Owl Superstitions

Owls and the hoots of an owl are frequently used within TV and movies to create a spooky and unnerving atmosphere. In many cultures, the appearance of owls is seen as a bad omen or a sign of death. This is seen in cultures including Native American. The owl is often considered wise and all knowing, so dreaming of owls could represent the approach of death. However, this can also be contradicted, with Australian Aborigines seeing owls as sacred beings and some cultures even believing that people would become an owl after death. No matter what bad omens may be attached to our diverse UK wild birds, we love them all the same and welcome them all to our gardens. Make sure you check out our extensive range of wild bird food and bird seed. Wild birds love our mixes and whether you have your suspicions or not, they are the best way to attract beautiful wild birds to your home.