‘All things bright and beautiful, All creatures great and small, All things wise and wonderful, The Lord God made them all.’
Anglican Hymn
Birds are undoubtedly some of the Brightest and most Beautiful of those ‘creatures’. Born to be free, just like us human beings. And yes, made by the same God we all worship.
How would God like it, if we impinge on the freedom of birds? And yet, millions of birds are captured from the wild. That too, only to find themselves languishing in the most pitiable of conditions!
This is certainly not what ‘God’ in the hymn above, would have wanted!
To that effect, The National Bird Day of India is celebrated on January the 5th of every year. In case you didn’t know that already, don’t worry. By the end of this article, you will know everything about the National Bird Day of India, from How to Celebrate National Bird Day, to some cool National Bird Day Activities!
This one’s not only for all the budding Birdwatchers out there. As human beings, we are responsible for ensuring the happiness of all species. Including, of course, the most precious Feathered Kind!
National Bird Day: Why it is celebrated
The National Bird Day that is celebrated on the 5th of January in India, has its roots entrenched in American soil. It was initially incorporated, to raise awareness of the fact that birds in the USA were an endangered species.
In India, this day was established as a platform to show how we can all contribute in our own way, towards protecting birds and their habitats. It is also a day, when we must spread awareness of the dangers of the cruel bird trade. The idea is to eliminate the capturing of birds for profit, or for the mere amusement of human beings.
Note: National Bird Day should not be confused with ‘Bird Day’. The latter falls on the 4th of May, and lays an emphasis on the importance of birds for the environment.
National Bird Day: How to Celebrate National Bird Day
Every ‘day’, be it Republic Day or Gandhi Jayanti, calls for some sort of celebration. It doesn’t matter if our feathered friends are blissfully unaware of the fact that they are being celebrated by us. All that matters is our celebration of their existence.
The following National Bird Day Activities are some great ways in which you can celebrate National Bird Day in India, this upcoming January the 5th.
Reading a Book on Birds
You don’t have to be an ornithologist to read a book on birds! To do: Perhaps the best way to glean information about birds, this one. Find some books with comprehensive information about birds. Tip: It will help if the book has some pretty cool pictures or illustrations. Example: The ‘Sibley Guide to Birds’, is a great choice.
Getting a birdhouse
This one’s like having a pet, without having one! To do: One of the most endearing things you could do this upcoming National Bird Day. Give some homeless birds a house, that is! After all, bird habitats are fast disappearing in this day and age, and your birdhouse might just help save a bird from the dangerous elements of nature.
Feeding Birds
Making a Pinecone Bird Feeder? Always a great idea! To do: The following are simple instructions to create a pinecone birdfeeder, that you can then hang in trees for birds to feed from.
- Mix some peanut butter with cornmeal, before spreading the mixture over pinecones.
- The next step is sprinkling birdseed over the pinecones.
- Tie some string around the pinecones, and hang them in trees.
- Wait and watch to see which bird is the first to arrive!
Sharing Bird Trivia
There are so many cool facts about birds, that people will be delighted to learn. Yourself included, of course!
To do: Search online, for some trivia about birds. You will be delighted to uncover some cool bird facts like ‘The Hummingbird is the only bird that is capable of flying backwards!’ Oh, and it doesn’t end there. You must share this interesting bit of information with your friends, too.
Going Birdwatching
Are you looking to cultivate a great hobby?
To do: On this National Bird Day, why not treat yourself to a session of Birdwatching? You might just discover a bird you have erstwhile never seen in your life! Besides, all that fresh air will do you plenty of good, too.
Contribute to a Bird Sanctuary
Let’s face it, even the ‘smallest’ contributions work towards making a ‘huge’ difference!
To do: Make a donation to a Bird Sanctuary this National Bird Day. That might just make a difference, where it comes to ensuring the survival of that endangered bird species!
National Bird Day: National Bird Day Quotes
What better way to spread awareness of National Bird Day, than by sharing some wonderful National Bird Day Quotes with friends and family?
The following are some impactful quotes, that will hopefully inspire people to make a difference.
- A heart without dreams is like a bird without feathers.’ – Suzy Kassem
- The early bird gets the worm.’ – Aesop
- A bird does not sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song.’ – Maya Angelou
- The reason birds can fly and we can’t is simply because they have perfect faith, for to have faith is to have wings.’ – J.M. Barrie
- Tame birds sing of freedom. Wild birds fly.’ – John Lennon
- Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly.’ – Langston Hughes
- And the eagle flies with the dove. And if you can’t be with the one you love, honey, love the one you’re with.’ – Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young
At EuroKids, we believe that not only adults, but children, too, should be made to learn the importance of celebrating National Bird Day. It will engender in them a sense of Empathy for not only birds, but all living creatures.
