King James Bible Dictionary

Birds are divided in the Mosaic law into two classes, (1) the clean (Leviticus 1:14-17; 5:7-10; 14:4-7), which were offered in sacrifice; and (2) the unclean (Leviticus 11:13-20). When offered in sacrifice, they were not divided as other victims were (Genesis 15:10). They are mentioned also as an article of food (Deuteronomy 14:11). The art of snaring wild birds is referred to (Psalms 124:7; Proverbs 1:17; 7:23; Jeremiah 5:27). Singing birds are mentioned in Psalms 104:12; Ecclesiastes 12:4. Their timidity is alluded to (Hosea 11:11). The reference in Psalms 84:3 to the swallow and the sparrow may be only a comparison equivalent to, "What her house is to the sparrow, and her nest to the swallow, that thine altars are to my soul."

BIRD, noun burd.

1. Properly, a chicken, the young of fowls, and hence a small fowl.

2. In modern use, any fowl or flying animal.

It is remarkable that a nation should lay aside the use of the proper generic name of flying animals, and substitute the name of the young of those animals, as the generic term. The fact is precisely what it would be to make lamb, the generic name of sheep, or colt, that of the equine genus.

BIRD, verb transitive To catch birds.

BIRD of paradise, a genus of birds, found in the Oriental isles, and in New Guinea; some of them remarkable beautiful. The beak is covered with a belt or collar of downy feathers at the base, and the feathers on the sides are very long. The longest species is two feet four inches in length. The head and back part of the neck are lemon-colored; the neck of the brightest emerald green, soft like velvet; the breast is black; the wings of a chestnut color. The back part of the body is covered with long straight narrow feathers, of a pale brown color, similar to the plumes of the ostrich. These are spread when the bird flies, for which reason he cannot keep long on the wing. From the rump proceed two long stiff shafts, feathered at the extremities.

BIRD'BOLT, noun [bird and bolt.] An arrow, broad at the end, for shooting birds.

BIRD'-CAGE, noun [bird and cage.] A box or case with wires, small sticks, or wicker, forming open work, for keeping birds.

BIRD'-CALL, noun [bird and call.] A little stick, cleft at one end, in which is put a leaf of some plant for imitating the cry of birds. A laurel leaf counterfeits the voice of lapwings; a leek, that of nightingales; etc.

BIRD'-CATCHER, noun [bird and catch.] One whose employment is to catch birds; a fowler.

BIRD'-CATCHING, noun [bird and catch.] The art of taking birds or wild fowls, either for food, for pleasure, or for their destruction, when pernicious to the husbandman.

BIRD'-CHERRY, noun [bird and cherry.] A tree, a species of Prunus, called padus; there are other species called by the same name.

BIRD'ER, noun A bird-catcher.

BIRD'-EYE

BIRD'-LIME, noun [bird and lime.] A viscous substance, usually made of the juice of holly-bark, extracted by boiling, mixed with a third-part of nut oil or thin grease, used to catch birds. For this purpose, the twigs of a bush are smeared over with this viscid substance.

BIRD'-LIMED, adjective Smeared with bird-lime; spread to ensnare.

BIRD'-MAN, noun [bird and man.] A fowler or bird-catcher.

BIRD'-PEPPER, noun [bird and pepper.] A species of Capsicum or Guinea-pepper; a shrubby plant, bearing a small oval fruit, more biting than the other sorts.

BIRD'EYED, adjective Of quick sight.

BIRD'ING-PIECE, noun [bird and piece.] A fowling-piece.

BIRD'-LIKE, adjective Resembling a bird.

Creation of, on the fifth creative day
Genesis 1:20-30

Man's dominion over
Genesis 1:26; Genesis 1:28; Genesis 9:2-3; Psalms 8:5-8; Jeremiah 27:6; Daniel 2:38; James 3:7

Appointed for food
Genesis 9:2-3; Deuteronomy 14:11-20

What species were unclean
Leviticus 11:13-20; Deuteronomy 14:12-19

Used for sacrifice
Dove, Turtle; Pigeon

ivine care of
Job 38:41; Psalms 147:9; Matthew 10:29; Luke 12:6; Luke 12:24

Songs of, at the break of day
Psalms 104:12; Ecclesiastes 12:4; Song of Solomon 2:12

Domesticated
Job 41:5; James 3:7

Solomon's proverbs of
1 Kings 4:33

Nests of
Psalms 104:17; Matthew 8:20; Matthew 13:32

Instincts of
Proverbs 1:17

Habits of
Job 39:13-18; Job 39:26-30

Migrate
Jeremiah 8:7

Mosaic law protected the mother from being taken with the young
Deuteronomy 22:6-7

Cages of
Jeremiah 5:27; Revelation 18:2
Snare

Figurative
Isaiah 16:2; Isaiah 46:11; Jeremiah 12:9; Ezekiel 39:4

Symbolic
Daniel 7:6
Bittern; Chickens; Cormorant; Crane; Cuckoo; Dove, Turtle; Eagle; Falcon; Glede; Hawk; Hen, Figurative; Heron; Kite; Lapwing; Night Hawk; Osprey; Ossifrage; Ostriches; Owl; Partridge; Peacock; Pelican; Pigeon; Quail; Raven; Sparrow; Stork; Swallow; Swan; Vulture

[SPARROW]

BIRDS'EYE, noun [bird and eye.] A genus of plants, called also pheasant's eye, known in botany by the generic term Adonis. There are several species, some of which produce beautiful flowers.

BIRD'S-EYE, adjective [bird and eye.] Seen from above, as if by a flying bird; as a bird-eye landscape.

BIRDS'FOOT, noun [bird and foot.] A plant, the Ornithopus, whose legumen is articulated, cylindrical, and bent in the form of a bow.

BIRDSFOOT-TREFOIL, noun A genus of plants, the Lotus, of several species.

BIRDS'NEST, noun [bird and nest.] The nest in which a bird lays eggs and hatches her young.

1. A plant, a species of Ophrys or twyblade; also a species of Orchis.

2. In cookery, the nest of a small swallow, of China, and the neighboring countries, delicately tasted, and mixed with soups. This nest is found in the rocks; it is of a hemispherical figure, of the size of a goose egg, and in substance resembles isinglass. In the East, these nests are esteemed a great luxury, and sell at a very high price.

BIRDSTARES and BIRDSTONGUE; names of plants.

BIRD'-WITTED, adjective Not having the faculty of attention.