How are birds depicted on holiday cards? It often depends where you live (Northern or Southern Hemisphere) and your religious or ethic background. The cards you may choose may reveal your preferences for more traditional or secular cards as well. One size doesn't seem to fit all.
North America . . .
are often found in card shops and on the Internet. The red color is associated with both Christmas & "Seasons Greetings" cards.
However, non-red birds such as Carolina Chickadees are often seen all "puffed up" on holiday cards in stores. Carolina Chickadees and Northern Cardinals are widely dispersed and often seen during the Holidays especially in the Eastern US.
Female Northern Cardinal is not red,
but struts some beautiful rufuous.
Central or South America Rainforest Birds are seen on South American cards. It is summer in the southern hemispheres!
at Moody Gardens in Galveston, Texas
On the Internet you may find more pure photographic cards taken in nature, while in stores they are often illustrated. Other red birds seen include Summer Tanagers, Pine Grosbeaks, Vermillion Flycatchers, Red Crosbills that are found in North America. But partridges and quail are popular as well.
Past holidays this blog has featured male, red House Finches, Winter Hummingbirds (not red for their jewel and irridescent colors) that perch near red berries or Northern Mockingbirds that dine on red berries. There are many birds to enjoy during the holiday season!
Doves: Hanukkah and Seasons Greetings Cards
Cards wishing Peace and Shalom use white doves on wing as well as Mourning Doves. Instead of Red, Hanukkah and Seasons Greetings cards wishing Peace use more Asian and Middle Eastern influences of rich royal blues, emerald greens and purples. These colors are becoming popular combinations in holiday lighting as well. A variety of doves live in Fort Bend, but the beautiful pink hues of Mourning Doves are found on holiday cards. More on doves in Fort Bend.
Hindu Diwali cards use Peacocks and jewel tone colors as well as red and other intense colors. Fort Bend has a large Diwali Celebration of Lights in Sugar Land.
Japanese Cards use Cranes with beautiful stylized oriental themes.
In Galveston, a Breakfast with the Sandhill Cranes, is likely to become a popular birding event . . . and don't forget the flyovers of all our water birds.
There are many venues to enjoy birds in our Gulf Coast region and through out the world.
While I didn't find a tradition for cards in Islam, I did learn that a bird in flight is considered the Sprit of Allah.
Consult bird maps for birds in your locale. Visit local arboretums, parks, and wildspaces to see them in nature and watch for them if your garden might support their habits.
Photographer Margaret Sloan and writer/researcher Janice Scanlan
wish you a Wonderful Holiday Season and Happy New Year!
all photographs except those of Moody Gardens are copyrighted by Margaret Sloan. To see more of her work, visit Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link.
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