A Wing and a Prayer
Beautiful Birdsong
by Claire Law
Suitable for Whole School (Sec)
Aims
To recognise some of the wellbeing benefits of birdwatching and to learn the names and some simple facts about some British bird species.
Preparation and materials
- You will need access to some audios of bird songs and the means to play them. These can be found at: www.british-birdsongs.uk.
Assembly
- Welcome the students to the assembly.
- Explain that you have a challenge for the students.
Ask them if anyone is good at identifying bird sounds.
Explain that you are going to play four clips of bird song and you want the students to try to identify them. - Example 1: Play: https://www.british-birdsongs.uk/cuckoo/?type=song-681.
Ask the students to guess which bird they are listening to.
Listen to a range of suggestions.
This is the Cuckoo, named after its iconic call. Cuckoos have a habit of laying eggs in other birds' nests. - Example 2: Play: https://www.british-birdsongs.uk/robin/?type=song-644.
Ask the students to guess which bird they are listening to.
Listen to a range of suggestions.
This is a robin. Robins have a beautiful song. Though seemingly cute, they are fiercely territorial and sing year-round to defend their territory. - Example 3: Play: https://www.british-birdsongs.uk/barn-owl/?type=call-807.
Ask the students to guess which bird they are listening to.
Listen to a range of suggestions.
This is the call of a barn owl. Many people think that owls go ‘twit twoooo. In fact, there is only one type of owl that has the classic ‘twit twoo’ call and that is a tawny owl. Female tawny owls make the sharp ‘twit’ sound as a contact call, and the male responds with the drawn-out ‘twoo’ to declare his territory. The screeching sound we just heard on our clip was a barn owl, the type of owl that Neville Longbottom uses to transport his mail in the Harry Potter films. - Example 4: Play: https://www.british-birdsongs.uk/blackbird/?type=song-653. Ask the students to guess which bird they are listening to.
Listen to a range of suggestions.
This is a blackbird, known for their fluting, mellow song. Blackbirds are known to sing enthusiastically after rain showers. - I wonder how many people here have spent time birdwatching, or listening to bird song before. Birdwatching is becoming a growing trend for young people. Research has shown that almost 750,000 gen Z-ers (16 to 29-year-olds) in Britain regularly enjoy watching birds. That figure represents over a 1000% increase since 2018.
- Many young people report that looking out for and listening to birds helps them to relax and to let go of stress. Birdwatching offers the opportunity to reconnect with nature, and to live in the present moment. It’s a very cheap hobby, all you really need are your eyes and your ears to get started! Birdwatching can be a much needed break from screens and digital devices, although many modern birders use apps like Merlin Bird ID to record bird songs and instantly identify species, turning the hobby into a real-life scavenger hunt. Birdwtaching (or listening) can be a form of mindfulness giving our body and brains a boost. Research tells us that listening to birdsong can contribute to reducing anxiety, depression, and physiological stress.
Time for reflection
Birdwatching is something mentioned in the Bible. In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus encourages his followers to ‘look at the birds of the air' as an example of God’s care and provision. Jesus notes that the birds ‘do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them’. (Matthew 6:26). For Jesus, the cycle and pattern of nature, and the ways in which birds find the food they need, show God’s love for creation. Jesus uses them as a reminder that we can slow down, and trust in God’s provision for us, too.
It’s not just the New Testament part of the Bible that uses birds to help explore and teach about the nature of God. Within the Psalms, in the Hebrew Testament (sometimes called the Old Testament) there a several times we can spot the mention of birds with phrases such as ‘hide me in the shadow of your wings’ and ‘He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge.’ Here birds are used as a metaphor for God’s care and protection of humans. Perhaps we’ve seen a pigeon puff up their feathers and form a protective umbrella with their wings to shield their vulnerable chicks from rain, cold, and harsh sunlight. This is something birds do to protect their young. The Bible tells us that God cares and protects us using this metaphor.
Let’s consider a few questions:
Could you find a few minutes this week to stop and have a go at listening to bird song?
Would you benefit from listening to birdsong and being more mindful and present to birds in nature?
Does occasionally stepping away from the stress of life to watch the birds or listen to birdsong appeal to you?
If you can say yes to any of the questions above, you will be joining thousands of other young people who are connecting with birdwatching.
Prayer:
Dear Lord,
Thank you for your creation, including the many species of birds.
We marvel at the variety of birds in our world, their different colours, shapes, sizes and song.
In the Bible we read that Jesus encouraged us to look to the birds as an example of your care and provision.
Birds are used as a metaphor for your care for us.
Help us to remember this when we spot birds in our local area.
We pray for chance today to notice the world and to let go of stress and tension.
May birds help us towards this goal.
Amen.
