A Rainbow of Birds

By Margo Fallis

A bluebird stood, holding onto a telephone wire. It was strung from one wooden pole to the other. His feet were curled around it tightly, so he wouldn’t fall. He whistled a song, chirping merrily as the puffy white clouds drifted by.

A red robin happened to be flying by and heard the bluebird sing. She flew down to the wire and landed next to the bluebird. He didn’t mind. When the bluebird began to sing his song, the robin whistled too. They chirped merrily as the puffy white clouds drifted by.

A yellow canary was sitting in a tree. He had just caught a plump, juicy worm and was about to gobble it down when he heard the bluebird and red robin singing. Carrying the worm in his beak, he flew over to the telephone wire and landed next to the robin. The bluebird and the robin didn’t mind. When they began to sing their song, the canary dropped the worm, which inched along the ground and went into a hole. The canary whistled too. They chirped merrily as the puffy white clouds drifted by.

A brown thrasher was eating seed from a bird feeder. He heard the bluebird, red robin, and yellow canary singing. Leaving the seed lying on the ground, the brown thrasher flew up to the telephone wire and landed next to the other birds. They didn’t mind. When they began to sing their song, the brown thrasher whistled too. They chirped merrily as the puffy white clouds drifted by.

A black crow was cawing as he flew high in the sky, looking for something to eat. He heard the bluebird, red robin, yellow canary, and brown thrasher singing. He thought they sounded very good, so he flapped his wings and landed on the telephone wire next to them. The others didn’t mind. When they began to sing their song, the black crow whistled too. They chirped merrily as the puffy white clouds drifted by.

A snowy owl was chasing a mouse. His white feathers sparkled in the sunshine. He heard the bluebird, red robin, yellow canary, brown thrasher, and black crow singing. He saw them sitting on the telephone wire, so he forgot about the mouse, which ran and hid in an old barn. The snowy owl flew over to the wire and joined the others. They didn’t mind. When they began to sing their song, the white, snowy owl whistled too. They chirped merrily as the puffy white clouds drifted by.

A bright green parrot was practicing his French when he heard the bluebird, red robin, yellow canary, brown thrasher, black crow and white, snowy owl singing. He squawked, "Oui, Oui," and flew over to the telephone wire. He landed next to the others. They didn’t mind. When they began to sing their song, the bright green parrot whistled too. They chirped merrily as the puffy white clouds drifted by.

A little girl and her mother were going for a walk. The little girl looked up at the telephone wire. "Look, Mummy, a rainbow of birds!" she giggled. The birds didn’t mind. The bluebird, red robin, yellow canary, brown thrasher, black crow, white, snowy owl, and green parrot chirped merrily as the puffy white clouds drifted by.