BIRDS OF THE WEST
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A PRAYER FOR THE
WILD THINGS
Oh, Great Spirit, we come to you
with love and gratitute for all living things.
We now pray especially for our relatives
of the Wilderness...
the four legged, the winged, those that live
in the waters
and those that crawl upon the land.
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EAGLE
To the Romans, the Eagle, a symbol of war and power since
Babylonian times, represented strength,skill and bravery.
To the American Indians, the bird was a charm for battle
and potent magic for healing. Its feathers trimmed robes
and decked war bonnets. In 1782, the Continental Congress
chose the Eagle for the Great Seal of the United States
and in 1789, the Bald Eagle became the national emblem of
America. Laws have been passed to protect the Eagle and
refuge land set aside for it.
THE WESTERN TANAGER
The western tanager probably merits the title of the west's
"most colorful" bird. It favors the open pine groves of
the mountains but may also be seen in the oaks.
THE PINE GROSBEAK
This near-Robin sized bird, the largest of the Finches,
is seen most often in winter. It lives in the remote
northern forest or mountain woods where it seldom
sees people. In the west, it may be found in the
high Rockies and south to California and Arizona.
This bird seems to lack fear and might even sit on
a man's shoulder if he can imitate its clear
3-syllabled whistle. The male is bring rosy red,
the female is gray with yellow on the head and rump.
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