Contents Introduction 1 PART ONE: THE PRACTICES Chapter 1: Birds and Divinity 7 Chapter 2: Birds in Spiritual Practices and Symbolism 13 Chapter 3: Come from Her: Life-Giver and Creatrix 19 Chapter 4: Connecting with the Life-Giver and Creatrix 25 Chapter 5: Return to Her: Death-Wielder and Regeneratrix 31 Chapter 6: Connecting with the Death-Wielder/Regeneratrix 37 Chapter 7: Are Her: Transformer and Eternal Spirit 43 Chapter 8: Connecting with the Transformer and Eternal Spirit 49 Chapter 9: Bird Guides and Messages 55 Chapter 10: Feathers 61 PART TWO: THE PROFILES Albatross: Black-Footed Albatross, Snowy Albatross 71 Blackbird: Brewer's Blackbird, Rusty Blackbird, Red-Winged Blackbird 74 Bluebird: Eastern Bluebird, Mountain Bluebird 78 Canary: 81 Cardinal: Northern Cardinal 84 Chickadee: Black-Capped Chickadee, Carolina Chickadee, Mountain Chickadee 87 Chicken: Domestic Chicken 91 Cormorant: Double-Crested Cormorant, Great Cormorant 94 Crane: Sandhill Crane, Whooping Crane 97 Crow: American Crow 100 Cuckoo: Black-Billed Cuckoo, Yellow-Billed Cuckoo 103 Dove: Mourning Dove 106 Duck: American Pekin Duck, Mallard, Wood Duck 109 Eagle: Bald Eagle, Golden Eagle 113 Egret: Great Egret, Snowy Egret 116 Falcon: American Kestrel, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon 119 Finch and Goldfinch: House Finch, Purple Finch, American Goldfinch 123 Flamingo: American Flamingo 127 Goose: Canada Goose, Snow Goose 130 Grouse: Dusky Grouse, Ruffed Grouse 133 Hawk: Cooper's Hawk, Red-Tailed Hawk 136 Heron: Great Blue Heron, Green Heron 139 Hummingbird: Ruby-Throated Hummingbird, Rufous Hummingbird 142 Ibis: Glossy Ibis, White Ibis, White-Faced Ibis 145 Jay: Blue Jay, Steller's Jay 148 Kingfisher: Belted Kingfisher 151 Lark and Meadowlark: Horned Lark, Eastern Meadowlark, Western Meadowlark 154 Loon: Common Loon 158 Magpie: Black-Billed Magpie 161 Mockingbird: Northern Mockingbird 164 Nighthawk and Nightjar: Common Nighthawk, Eastern Whip-Poor-Will, Common Poorwill 167 Nuthatch: Red-Breasted Nuthatch, White-Breasted Nuthatch 171 Oriole: Baltimore Oriole, Bullock's Oriole 174 Osprey: 177 Ostrich: 180 Owl: Barn Owl, Great Horned Owl, Long-Eared Owl, Snowy Owl 183 Parrot and Parakeet: African Gray Parrot, Yellow-Headed Parrot, American Parakeet 187 Partridge: Gray Partridge 191 Peacock: Blue Peafowl 194 Pelican: American White Pelican, Brown Pelican 197 Penguin: Blue Penguin, Emperor Penguin 200 Pheasant: Ring-Necked Pheasant 203 Pigeon: Rock Pigeon 206 Quail: California Quail, Northern Bobwhite 209 Raven: Common Raven 212 Roadrunner: Greater Roadrunner 215 Robin: American Robin 218 Sandpiper and Plover: Least Sandpiper, Spotted Sandpiper, Killdeer 221 Seagull: Herring Gull, Ring-Billed Gull 224 Sparrow: House Sparrow, Song Sparrow 227 Starling: European Starling 230 Stork: Wood Stork 233 Swallow and Swift: Barn Swallow, Chimney Swift, White-Throated Swift 236 Swan: Mute Swan, Trumpeter Swan, Tundra Swan 240 Turkey: Wild Turkey 244 Vulture: Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture 247 Waxwing: Bohemian Waxwing, Cedar Waxwing 250 Woodpecker: Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker 253 Wren: House Wren 256 Summary: 259 Appendix A: Chronology 261 Appendix B: Sabbats and Deities 263 Bibliography: 269 Index: 283.