The Twelve Days of Christmas’ Disappearing?
ARE THE BIRDS IN ‘THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS’ DISAPPEARING?
Text: Jonathan Thompson
Above: Partridge in a pear tree. Photo courtesy of Georges Olioso.
In East Anglia, UK, over the past ten years there has been a steady decline in the numbers of Turtle Doves, Streptopelia turtur, and Swallows, Hirundo rustica, arriving to breed in our vicinity. We looked forward to their arrival in the first week of May each year, but the summer of 2018 was devoid of these delightful creatures except for one lone Swallow skimming the ponds to drink.
Back in December 2012, Caroline Davies warned of the decline in the UK's bird populations in an article in The Guardian newspaper. Drawing on the verses of the popular festive song, The Twelve Days of Christmas, Ms. Davies makes an ominous prophesy.
Scientists had warned that the Grey Partridge, Perdix perdix, and Turtle Dove were already in drastic decline and without urgent action these two birds could cease to exist in the UK as breeding species, and would only be known to the younger generation of our children through the popular rhyme.
Although once widespread throughout southern England, the Turtle Dove population, estimated at 14,000 pairs in 2012, had already seen a 60% drop in numbers in the five years to 2010. Similarly, the Grey Partridge had fallen by 30% over the same period to an estimated 43,000 pairs.
The RSPB embarked upon project Operation Turtle Dove in May 2012. Mark Eaton, a scientist with the RSPB, warned:
“Losing six out of 10 of our turtle doves and three out of 10 grey partridge in five years is nothing short of an unsustainable wildlife disaster. The turtle dove is in a great degree of danger – if this trend were to continue we could be down to fewer than 1,000 pairs by the middle of the next decade, with complete extinction a real possibility.
Right: Two Turtle doves. Photo: Andy Morffew.
These two icons of Christmas are telling us that wildlife is in crisis. We are urging the government to take urgent action to save these species from becoming just memories within The Twelve Days of Christmas festive classic.” Ms. Davies informs us interpretation of the verses is many and various, probably originating in France, and are thought to have first appeared in print in England in the children's book Mirth Without Mischief, in 1780. Supposing the verses French origin would suggest the partridge in the pear tree is the Red-legged Partridge, Alectoris rufa, as these commonly roost in trees, whereas the Grey Partridge is less like to do so. It is thought the Red-legged Partridge was first introduced into the East Anglian region of the UK around 1770.
Below: Three French Hens. Photo: Archives AE - Sybille Dubois.
As to the other participants within the verses, the three French Hens are in no danger, although it is reported [Worldpoultry.com] France, once the largest producer of poultry in the EU, saw a decline of 400,000 tonnes, or 20%, between 1998 and 2011.
Thought to refer to Blackbirds, Turdus merula, populations of the four "Colly birds" have fluctuated; declining by an estimated 15% from 1970 to 2012. However, numbers now appear to be on the rise.
Right: Blackbird in the snow.
Below: Goldfinch in the snow. Photos: Adri de Groot
The Five Gold Rings, one cannot go wrong with. Gold prices have continued to rise! The gold rings in the verse have been variously interpreted as a variation of “five goldfinks” ~ ‘goldfink’ being an old English name for the Goldfinch, Carduelis carduelis. This little bird's popularity as a cage-bird during the Victorian era almost led to its disappearance in parts of the UK. Happily, numbers of this perky little chap are increasing annually. As to the “six geese- a-laying”, wild populations of the Greylag Geese, Anser anser, and the Pink-footed Goose, Anser brachyrhyn- chus, maintain good numbers. However, there has been a decline in the number of the White-fronted Goose, Anser albifrons, over- wintering in the UK.
Left: Six White- fronted Geese. Below: Mute swans in the snow. Photos: Adri de Groot.
Seven Swans-a- swimming are in no danger of disappear- ing. With numbers of the Mute Swan, Cygnus olor, increasing since 1983 to almost double their number in 2012, with approximately 30,000 breeding adults and 74,000 swans, including the Mute, Bewick Swan, Cygnus columbianus bewickii, and Whooper Swan, Cygnus cygnus, wintering in the UK.
The eight Maids-a-Milking face a precarious future, however; with milk quotas and prices being squeezed, dairy farms in the UK are declining at an alarming pace.
Right: Milk maid in Holland. Postcard. Source: Nederlands Openlucht Museum.
With the Nine Ladies Dancing being helped with a little ‘Strictlyfication’ on British television, there has been a resurgence in popularity of dance, especially the ballroom style. So they may be 'tripping hither' for some time to come.
Below: Ladies Dancing at ‘The Ball’ - painting by Jean Mayne.
The future of the Ten Lords-a-Leaping is less secure, especially with the question of the House of Lords reform still to be answered. Until that is and, moreover, when that is, we can be assured of much leaping about.
Above: Lords, Passing of the Parliament Bill, 1911. (Source: Project Gutenberg)
Which brings us to the eleven Pipers piping and the twelve Drummers drumming. With the on-going slashing of the defence budget, the number of UK service personnel was cut from 102,000 to 82,000 by 2018. Regiments are merging and, undoubtedly, some regimental bands, which have pipes and drums at their heart, will cease to be.
Above: Pipers and Drummers. Photo: Maureen Hoyle.
Click here to hear the song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpinzLXXp14&feature=related Or a nice animation The Twelve Days of Christmas
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