Certain birds are, more often than not, considered bad luck, or even a sign of impending death.
For example, all over the world, both crows and ravens have some connection to war, and death.
In early times, crows and ravens were thought to accompany the gods of war, or be signs of the
gods’ approaching arrival. This idea later changed. Crows in particular were thought to be
harbingers of ill fortune or, in some cases, guides to the afterlife. Woe be it to the person who saw
a single crow or raven flying overhead, for this was most certainly a portent of death in the near
future. 

ˈsɜrtən bɜrdz ɑr, mɔr ˈɔfən ðæn nɑt, kənˈsɪdərd bæd lʌk, ɔr ˈivɪn ə saɪn ʌv ɪmˈpɛndɪŋ dɛθ. fɔr ɪgˈzæmpəl, ɔl
ˈoʊvər ðə wɜrld, boʊθ kroʊz ænd ˈreɪvənz hæv sʌm kəˈnɛkʃən tu wɔr, ænd dɛθ. ɪn ˈɜrli taɪmz, kroʊz ænd
ˈreɪvənz wɜr θɔt tu əˈkʌmpəni ðə gɑdz ʌv wɔr, ɔr bi saɪnz ʌv ðə gɑdz əˈproʊʧɪŋ əˈraɪvəl. ðɪs aɪˈdiə ˈleɪtər
ʧeɪnʤd. kroʊz ɪn pərˈtɪkjələr wɜr θɔt tu bi ˈhɑrbɪŋərz ʌv ɪl ˈfɔrʧən ɔr, ɪn sʌm ˈkeɪsəz, gaɪdz tu ði ˈæftərˌlaɪf. woʊ
bi ɪt tu ðə ˈpɜrsən hu sɔ ə ˈsɪŋgəl kroʊ ɔr ˈreɪvən ˈflaɪɪŋ ˈoʊvərˌhɛd, fɔr ðɪs wʌz moʊst ˈsɜrtənli ə ˈpɔrtɛnt ʌv dɛθ
ɪn ðə nɪr ˈfjuʧər.

Interestingly, though potentially bad luck for people individually, the raven is considered to be
good luck for the crown of England. So much so, in fact, that a “raven master” is, even today, an
actual government position in London. He takes care of the ravens there and also clips their
wings, ensuring that these birds can never fly far from the seat of the British government. This
way, the kingdom will never fall to ill fortune. Another bird that is thought to play a part
in forecasting the fortunes of people is the swallow. Depending on how and when it is seen, the
swallow can be a harbinger of either c or ill fortune. Perhaps inspired by the swallow’s red-brown
breast, Christian people initially related the swallow to the death of Jesus Christ. Thus, people who
saw a swallow fly through their house considered it a portent of death. Later, however, farmers
began to consider swallows signs of good fortune. Any barn that has swallows living in it is sure to
be blessed in the following year. Farmers also have to beware of killing a swallow; that would be
certain to end any good luck they might have had. 

ˈɪntəˌrɛstɪŋli, ðoʊ pəˈtɛnʃəli bæd lʌk fɔr ˈpipəl ˌɪndɪˈvɪʤuəli, ðə ˈreɪvən ɪz kənˈsɪdərd tu bi gʊd lʌk fɔr ðə kraʊn
ʌv ˈɪŋglənd. soʊ mʌʧ soʊ, ɪn fækt, ðæt eɪ “ˈreɪvən ˈmæstər” ɪz, ˈivɪn , ən ˈækʧuəl ˈgʌvərmənt pəˈzɪʃən ɪn
ˈlʌndən. hi teɪks kɛr ʌv ðə ˈreɪvənz ðɛr ænd ˈɔlsoʊ klɪps ðɛr wɪŋz, ɛnˈʃʊrɪŋ ðæt ðiz bɜrdz kæn ˈnɛvər flaɪ fɑr frʌm
ðə sit ʌv ðə ˈbrɪtɪʃ ˈgʌvərmənt. ðɪs weɪ, ðə ˈkɪŋdəm wɪl ˈnɛvər fɔl tu ɪl ˈfɔrʧən. əˈnʌðər bɜrd ðæt ɪz θɔt tu pleɪ ə
pɑrt ɪn ˈfɔrˌkæstɪŋ ðə ˈfɔrʧənz ʌv ˈpipəl ɪz ðə ˈswɑloʊ. dɪˈpɛndɪŋ ɑn haʊ ænd wɛn ɪt ɪz sin, ðə ˈswɑloʊ kæn bi ə
ˈhɑrbɪnʤər ʌv ˈiðər gʊd ɔr ɪl ˈfɔrʧən. pərˈhæps ɪnˈspaɪərd baɪ ðə ˈswɑloʊz rɛd-braʊn brɛst, ˈkrɪsʧən ˈpipəl ɪ
ˈnɪʃəli rɪˈleɪtɪd ðə ˈswɑloʊ tu ðə dɛθ ʌv ˈʤizəs kraɪst. ðʌs, ˈpipəl hu sɔ ə ˈswɑloʊ flaɪ θru ðɛr haʊs kənˈsɪdərd ɪt ə
ˈpɔrtɛnt ʌv dɛθ. ˈleɪtər, ˌhaʊˈɛvər, ˈfɑrmərz bɪˈgæn tu kənˈsɪdər ˈswɑloʊz saɪnz ʌv gʊd ˈfɔrʧən. ˈɛni bɑrn ðæt
hæz ˈswɑloʊz ˈlɪvɪŋ ɪn ɪt ɪz ʃʊr tu bi blɛst ɪn ðə ˈfɑloʊɪŋ jɪr. ˈfɑrmərz ˈɔlsoʊ hæv tu bɪˈwɛr ʌv ˈkɪlɪŋ ə ˈswɑloʊ;
ðæt wʊd bi ˈsɜrtən tu ɛnd ˈɛni gʊd lʌk ðeɪ maɪt hæv hæd.
 
Though many people think these superstitions are old wives’ tales, there is actually some evidence
to support them. For example, crows and ravens, being scavengers, appear at the aftermath of
battles. Thus, large numbers of crows and ravens could be good indications of war in an area. As
well, swallows feed on insects that can cause infections in cattle. Thus, a farmer who has many
swallows in his barn may actually have healthier animals on his farm. Therefore, the next time you
feel inclined to laugh at an old wives’ tale, maybe you had better find out if there is any truth to it
first! 
ðoʊ ˈmɛni ˈpipəl θɪŋk ðiz ˌsupərˈstɪʃənz ɑr oʊld waɪvz teɪlz, ðɛr ɪz ˈækʧuəli sʌm ˈɛvədəns tu səˈpɔrt
ðɛm. fɔr ɪgˈzæmpəl, kroʊz ænd ˈreɪvənz, ˈbiɪŋ ˈskævənʤərz, əˈpɪr æt ði ˈæftərˌmæθ ʌv ˈbætəlz.
ðʌs, lɑrʤ ˈnʌmbərz ʌv kroʊz ænd ˈreɪvənz kʊd bi gʊd ˌɪndəˈkeɪʃənz ʌv wɔr ɪn ən ˈɛriə. æz wɛl,
ˈswɑloʊz fid ɑn ˈɪnˌsɛkts ðæt kæn kɑz ɪnˈfɛkʃənz ɪn ˈkætəl. ðʌs, ə ˈfɑrmər hu hæz ˈmɛni ˈswɑloʊz ɪn
hɪz bɑrn meɪ ˈækʧuəli hæv ˈhɛlθiər ˈænəməlz ɑn hɪz fɑrm. ˈðɛrˌfɔr, ðə nɛkst taɪm ju fil ɪnˈklaɪnd tu
læf æt ən oʊld waɪvz teɪl, ˈmeɪbi ju hæd ˈbɛtər faɪnd aʊt ɪf ðɛr ɪz ˈɛni truθ tu ɪt fɜrst!