Birds Birds Birds

The teddy bears are very excited as it is nearly time for the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch again this year. The bears enthusiastically join in every year.

This got Scary to thinking about the particular birds that each of the bears were like. So he got them all together and asked them to think about answering the following question:

"If you were a bird, what bird would you be most like?" he asked.

That set all the bears to thinking very hard. It was extremely difficult. They couldn't just choose their favourite bird, they had to match the way it looked and acted and its personality.

Boo was the first to respond. "Actually," he said "it's much easier to say which bird everyone else is most like! In fact, Scary, I would say you would be an owl because you are very wise, logical, intelligent, calm and careful."

"In turn," said Scary "I think you, Boo, would be a peacock. Very showy in your lovely waistcoat and bow tie. You're outgoing, enthusiastic about everything, adventurous to try new things all the time, and very social."

"On the other hand, Bubbles," he continued "I think you are more like a dove. They are peace-loving, kind, friendly, honest and easy-going. That's you to a 'T'."

"Whereas," said Bubbles, "I would class Charlie as an eagle. He's brave, bold, motivated and makes his construction decisions very quickly."

This was turning out to be a fun game. All the bears started thinking what characteristics of birds they could see in all their friends.

"Actually," said Charlie, "I think several bears could be the same bird. Think about it. Aren't Tommy, Custard, Harry and Henry just like little long-tailed tits. They like to fly round in small flocks and huddle together to sleep. They are sociable, excitable and acrobatic. They run round everywhere together!"

Everyone laughed. They all agreed that those 4 little bears were indeed very much like the long-tailed tits that swarmed into the garden in big groups together.

"Teddy, on the other hand, must be a blackbird!" Charlie declared. "He's very independent, likes to be alone when he's reading his books, he's a plain dark colour, and is a very good singer."

"Yes! Yes! That's him exactly!" the others replied.

Teddy then spoke up. "I think James would be a wren," he said "because, although he is quite a small bear, he really has a very loud voice! You will always be able to hear him above everybody else when he speaks!"

"And I think Lizzie is like a sparrow," he continued. "She is chirpy and sociable, loves being in a gang with everyone and she will eat anything!"

"That is very true," Lizzie responded with a smile. "From my point of view, I think Crackers would make a great goldfinch. He's noisy too, very chatty and sociable, and he really likes snacks of seeds and fruit!"

"Richard could well be a wood pigeon then," Crackers said. "He's quite big, likes his vegetables (especially cabbage, sprouts and peas), he's quite loud when he wants to be, and he runs very fast."

That just left Victoria and Edward. What birds would they be most like? "It's not hard to decide," said Richard. "Both Victoria and Edward are really good singers. Victoria is a little more shy and solitary, but she does like Christmas and she does love to sing. That would make her a robin. Edward, though, is more like the song thrush, because he sings very loudly and for a very long time - if you let him!"

Victoria and Edward burst into giggles but couldn't deny that they liked being compared to the robin and the song thrush.

"Now we know what our bird 'twins' are," Scary said "we can all look out for our particular birds next week in the Bird Watch! Maybe Boo will be really lucky and we will see a peacock in the garden!"

We hope you are going to take part in the Big Garden Bird Watch this year. You can go online to find all the details on the RSPB website here. This year it takes place over the weekend of the 27th to the 29th of January. Please join in! It's great fun!