Birds are my most favorite animal. As a child I was always watching them and collecting pictures of them for my scrapbook. As I got older I collected bird feathers I would find in front of me on the path I walked. As I immersed myself in the metaphysical teachings, I found that Birds had a much deeper meaning in my life. I was a part of their clan.
 
I am just a regular American, with Scottish, English and who knows what else genealogy. My father was in the Navy so we moved around the U. S. my whole life.  I am not part of any indigenous tribes from any country, although I have studied with a few.
 
So how do I know I am part of the Bird Tribe/Clan? I am part of the larger picture of a universal bird clan.  My work is world wide. I was trained to travel, and trained in the shaman skills.  I have had three profound near deaths, and have healed myself from several illnesses.  I have been gathering pieces of this for years and today wanted to write this out, more for myself to look deeper into.
 
Native American Bird Clans
 
There are many tribes who have a particular clan of birds, sometimes very specific birds and their duties. Below are two such tribes describing the duties and traits of their members of their Bird Clans. These gave me more insight of who I am and some of my responsibilities in this life.
 
Ojibwa Bird Clan
 
“The Bird Clan represented the spiritual leaders of the people and gave the nation its vision of well-being and its highest development of the spirit. The people of the Bird Clan were said to possess the characteristics of the eagle, the head of their clan, in that they pursued the highest elevations of the mind just as the eagle pursues the highest elevations of the sky.”
 

 
Cherokee Bird Clan

The "Ani Tsiskwa”, Bird Clan, were/are the keepers of the birds, sacred feathers and bird medicines. They were messengers and were very skilled in using blowguns and snares for bird hunting. They are responsible for teaching the importance of recognizing the whole pattern of life regarding positive and negative events. They teach keen observation, sharing and giving, interpretation of dreams, the birds, interpretation of their messages and their willingness for self- sacrifice for the sake of the two legged ones. They are responsible for collecting feathers earned by others because they were the only ones authorized to collect them. Their color is Purple, and their wood is Maple. 
 
The Bird Clan or Eagle is seen as representing Spirit. Members of the Bird Clan were historically known as messengers. The belief that birds are messengers between earth and heaven, or the People and Creator, gave the members of this clan the responsibility of caring for the birds.

 
Bird Song of Prayer
The following is a song of a Cherokee Shaman of the Bird Clan, asking the Jisgwa (ji s gwa; Birds) to bring messages from the Spirit World.
The Shaman’s Song

Come
Jisgwa,
Kin of mine;
Messengers from God.
Teach me how to read your message
And I will teach it to all who have ears to listen.

Come
White Dove,
Bird of Peace;
Messenger from God.
Sit upon my shoulder and speak:
Teach that all living things are my brothers and sisters.

Come
Raven,
Wise Old Bird;
Messenger from God.
Speak to me of ancient wisdom:

Come
Nighthawk,
Dream Flyer;
Messenger from God.
Look for me into the future:
Teach me to read the signs that tell what the future holds.

Come
Eagle,
Wind Rider;
Messenger from God.
Teach me to walk the path of truth;
God and Nature are friends of the honorable man.

Come
Heron,
Chieftain Bird;
Messenger from God.
Show me the way to true balance;
Teach me cleanliness of my body and my spirit.

Come
Healers,
Butterflies;
Messengers from God.
Help me to find good medicine:
Let it heal the bodies and spirits of The People.
Seminole Bird Clan
The Bird, for being able to take flight, will be ruler of the earth, said the Creator: "The Bird will make sure that all things are put in their proper places on earth."
Bird Intellegence
With the variety of Birds in the world, so are their intelligence and attributes.  Many cultures recognize “personality” of these intellects with different species.
The most revered aspect of the Bird is its ability to fly (apologies to Ostrich, Emu, and Penguin). Throughout the ages, flight is the symbol of the soul’s journey to the Hereafter. A bird in flight also stands for the light of the spirit, for beauty, transcendence, and hope.
The gentle Dove provokes feelings of devotion, human and divine.
The Owl is a feared night hunter by man and prey alike and because of its unique ability to fly silently and see and hear well in the dark, the owl has often been associated with all things magical and mysterious. Owl was a confident of Wizards and Witches, medicine people and seers.
The Egyptian god, Atum, chose a bird to appear at the very moment of creation.  This was the stork-like ‘Benu’.
 For the Vikings and Goths, birds of prey were symbols of victorious conquests.  Odin and other Norse Gods were often accompanied by Ravens who were seen as particularly wise and clever birds.  In North America, both Ravens and Crows are seen as tricksters and shape-shifters among First Nations people. They are birds often associated with Shamans and Medicine Men.  Among the Haida of the Pacific Northwest, the people identify themselves as belonging to either the Eagle or the Raven Clan. And for the Haida, Raven was the creator of the world, stealing the sun from where it was hidden in a box and allowing it to shine. Among the peoples of the Iroquoi Federation, there are both Heron and Snipe Clans.
Hummingbirds represent joy and the swiftness of flight through the air. Swans show us beauty and grace, and a peace within. They are nurturing and protect the young.
There are so many more, and a great subject for study.  As I review the many times in my life that birds have assisted me, talked to me and given me a present of a feather, I am humbled by their intelligence and steadfast friend ship.
Then there are angels, winged.....
 
 
Birds ............ my love!
 
~ carolyn