I came across an old 1936 country song by Roy Acuff called, "The Great Speckled Bird." The content was taken from the Bible, Jeremiah 12:9, and in researching I found that three different translations produced three different interpretations. King James referred to "Mine heritage is unto me as a speckled bird," another is simply "a brightly colored bird," while the New International Version states "a speckled bird of prey." What is a speckled bird?
In our "Sibley" field guide, there is no reference to "speckled" birds, if you think of a speck as being smaller than a spot. Most birds with markings are either streaked, splotched, and rarely spotted, as are some birds of prey, including the spotted owl. Flickers have a spotted breast, and our spotted sandpiper has a spotted chest-but only during the breeding season April through August! Many of the shorebirds have a confusing array of varied spots and slashes.
The closest thing to speckled is noted in two introduced birds-the starling and the guinea fowl. Adult starlings are infused with small spots during the non-breeding period, while in the Dec-Aug breeding time they take on an oily greenish-black iridescence. The odd plumage seems to have worked considering that they have spread all over America after their introduction from Europe in the late 1800's! Plumage variation drives beginner bird watchers crazy!
Guineas are mostly domesticated in America, filtered down from their wild Asian origins, but they have a wandering nature and often stray from barnyards into forested areas. The gray body is speckled with an extreme profusion of white dots, making them virtually invisible when setting on a nest in the weeds. The loud cackle alerts the entire neighborhood to intruders, and guineas are mentioned in the book, "Birds of the Bible," as being an extreme delicacy in Palestine where they were obtained from Egypt.
It is gratifying that birds have been noted in early historical times and biblical recordings. Birds were referred to over 300 times in the King James Bible. They were commonly spoken of as "the fowl of the air," or "little sandy-colored quail which came up and covered the camp of Moses in the wilderness," and especially eagles, which even today command bird watcherÕs attention all over the world. One of the verses, Isaiah 40:31, speaks of, "...they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles..."
To those who list birds and have "life lists," it may be interesting that a list of "unclean" birds not to be eaten is recorded in Deuteronomy 14:11-18. The list of 20 includes eagles, osprey, vultures, raven, owls, swans, pelicans, cormorants, storks, and herons...and the bat!, mostly flesh eating birds. Although edible, these birds are still not considered "game." Considering that America has about 650 species of birds, the Palestinian region has about 400 in that bleak, largely desert land, so the ancient observers did, indeed, have some birds to consider.
The dove is perhaps mentioned more than any other bird in the bible, portraying a gentle peace. "...The spirit of God descends 'like a dove'..." However, the mourning doves that frequent our bird feeder are bully birds that bump about to hold dominance and whiz through the sky at an impressive speed, as hunters well know. There is a Spotted Dove introduced from Asia, and a small population exists in Southern California. The small white spots are clustered around the neck. Could this be the great speckled bird penned by Guy Smith and recorded by Acuff? "Oh that I had the wings of a dove! For then would I fly away and be at rest." -Psalm 55:6