I was sitting on my deck watching the birds feed and snapped this photo.
Weather Proverbs About Birds
Did you know that bird behavior can help us predict the weather? Closely observe nature and your feathered friends—you might be surprised by what you learn!
One of these days, take a moment to look up. Watch birds in flight. Birds flying high in the sky usually indicate fair weather. As the adage goes …
- Hawks flying high means a clear sky. When they fly low, prepare for a blow.
- Geese fly higher in fair weather than in foul.
Air pressure does indeed affect birds. For example, swallows have sensitive ears; when the barometric pressure drops, they fly as close to the ground as possible, where air density is greatest. Low-flying birds are generally a sign of rain, while high-flyers indicate fair weather.
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Migrating birds can fly more easily in dense, high-pressure conditions. Therefore, geese may fly high when a high-pressure system moves to the area. High-pressure systems are associated with fair weather.
Birds tend to stop flying and take refuge at the coast if a storm is coming. They’ll also fly low to avoid the discomfort of the falling air pressure.
- When seagulls fly inland, expect a storm.
- When fowl roost in daytime, expect rain.
- Petrels gathering under the stern of a ship indicates bad weather.
Birds tend to get very quiet before a big storm. If you’ve ever been walking in the woods before a storm, the natural world is eerily silent! Birds also sing if the weather is improving.
- Birds singing in the rain indicates fair weather approaching.
Here are more bird proverbs and prognostics. Enjoy!
- If crows fly in pairs, expect fine weather; a crow flying alone is a sign of foul weather.
- The whiteness of a goose’s breastbone indicates the kind of winter: A red or dark-spotted bone means a cold and stormy winter; few or light-colored spots mean a mild winter.
- In the fall, drumming partridges mean a mild and open winter.
- When domestic geese walk east and fly west, expect cold weather.
- If birds in the autumn grow tame, the winter will be too cold for game.
- When the rooster goes crowing to bed, he will rise with a watery head.
- When the swallow’s nest is high, the summer is very dry. When the swallow buildeth low, you can safely reap and sow.
We humans can learn so much from birds! Enjoy more about animals and weather folklore!
Tom Warren
I own a pest & bird control company in Phoenix - goldshotexterminating.net - and we do a ton of pigeon proofing. Pigeons are really tough and about the only time I've seen a change in their behavior as far as the weather does is when we have lightening. They'll do their normal thing during rain, wind and the 100+ degree heat but will be a bit harder to find when the monsoons hit.
ok I was outside one day and i saw flocks of ducks i mean their was about 100 ducks or more in the sky going one direction and told my dad to look up and he said that spring is on its way.
Is it true?
Yes, your Dad was right. The birds were migrating. They go north between winter and spring and south between summer and fall.
We still have two birds here in southeast Alaska, its been around freezing at night. I keep my two feeders fresh, is it normal for them to still be here? They are beautiful, red necks and fly to me when I am on my porch. I have great pics of them, I named them Ringo & Cecil.
Beautiful birds! Normally, Rufous Hummingbirds are in Alaska in the summer and then start migrating south. This is indeed very late.
I've been keeping track of these birds for the last thirty years or so; they pass through the coastal woods in North Central California every spring and fall, and have been here about 3 and a half weeks as of this writing (I spend a great deal of time outdoors and am always in touch with seasonal phenomena). Their default call is a three note descending call, frequently characterized as "Oh, dear me". This is subject to seasonal variation, particularly in the fall. Some years they tend to drop the third note most of the time and I've noticed drier winters tend to follow. Conversely (and even more pronounced), they tend to add a note before a particularly rainy winter. Thus "Oh dear me" becomes "Peedle Wee Wee". The last time this happened, my next door neighbors in West Marin were forced to drive 16 foot deep pilings under their 90 year old creekside home. The sparrows are plentiful this season here in Mendocino County where I live now, and every last one is "peedle wee weeing" to beat the band. It's only October 22nd and we've already had five inches of rain here; I expect thirty more, thanks to the Peedle Wee Wee for a heads up! Mistake not my jocular tone for frivolity; I keep up with my feathered friends.
Hi, Christopher, Thank you for your thoughtful comments here. Because you are so “tuned in” to bird calls, we’re wondering: Have you seen/tried the bird-call match game in the 2017 Almanac?? It’s on page 243. Let us know how you do!
Cheers!
I have heard Western Meadowlarks using more then one call this must mean at least attracting a mate and Territory and i have read that Male Killdeer will fly over his chosen territory while giving the Killdeer call and Meadowlarks like a high clear vantage point to sing from
I live in Plymouth Wi. I've noticed lately and so have my friends that the birds seem to have a feeding frenzy lately. someone said that means a bad winter to come. can you shed any light on why the birds are doing this.
Margaret Steinke
Been a long time since I thought of Plymouth. Would go through there on the way to Elkhart Lake. Sister lives in Campbellsport. This just gave me a touch of home for today. Thank you much.
