Our five favourite fictional flappers.
The list of fictional birds is seemingly endless. From the blustery Foghorn Leghorn to the sleepy Good Night Kiwi, the madcap chaos of Woody Woodpecker to the creeping insanity of Poe’s The Raven, there’s a bird for every occasion and every story. Here are five of our favourites…
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5. Hedwig. She was always there for Harry Potter, visiting him in his mundane life away from Hogwarts, checking in on him at the end of the day, helping with the mail delivery. Who wouldn’t want their own Hedwig in their life? |
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4. The Magpies While this Aussie import can be a nuisance (particularly during the breeding season when they get aggressively territorial) we have to thank them for the inspiration they provided to one of New Zealand’s most beloved poems. Denis Glover created a deeply moving story of Tom and Elizabeth, their farm and the birds they shared it with. It’s a story each new generation learns from with every quardle oodle ardle wardle doodle. |
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3. Kevin. As we distrust Carl’s motives when he initially tells Russell to hunt for a ‘snipe’ in Pixar’s Up, the appearance of a great bird is a nice surprise. That Kevin loves chocolate and is smart enough to evade the clutches of the dastardly Charles F. Muntz is also a reason to love the weird and wonderful South American bird. It’s why we agree that, in the words of Dug, his wide-eyed slobbery canine friend, “I have just met you, and I love you.” |
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2. Camilla. We never hear much from Camilla besides a few hearty (and occasionally confused) clucks. Yet this chicken is nevertheless an important part of Gonzo’s life in The Muppets and the poultry/alien relationship is always fun to watch. There’s also an interesting theory that Gonzo can’t recognise individual chickens. All chickens could be Camilla to him. Which is cool – because we love all chickens too (although not romantically like Gonzo, obviously). |
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1. Thorondor, Gwaihir, Landroval The Great Eagles from Lord of the Rings weren’t just a taxi service for Mordor tours. Instead, much like how the Ents were guardians of plant life, the talking eagles were guardians of animal life, the “ancient race of the northern mountains were the greatest of all birds; they were proud and strong and noble-hearted.” And, of course, they were there to rescue our diminutive friends from the slopes of Mt Doom. You can meet them for yourself at the Wellington airport (provided there are no more pesky earthquakes to drop them from the ceiling). |
Who would you choose in your top five list? Pingu or Woodstock? Big Bird or Sam the Eagle? Donald or Daffy Duck?
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