Treasure Island is a well-known adventure novel written by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson. Birds play a significant role in the story, serving not only as companions of the protagonist, Jim Hawkins but also as a foreshadowing of events to come.
Stevenson’s portrayal of birds is not only descriptive but symbolic as well. From the tropical parrot, Captain Flint, to the seagulls and carrion crows, the birds in Treasure Island are major figures in the development of the plot.
This article will examine and analyze the role of birds in Treasure Island, exploring their symbolism and representing their significance in the story.
1. American White Ibis
The American white ibis is a medium-sized bird with an overall white plumage and long legs. It has a bright red-orange downward curved bill, and black wing tips that are usually only visible in flight.
This species of ibis can be found from Virginia south through most of the coastal New World tropics.
They have been known to inhabit marshes, swamps, ponds, lakeshores as well as mangrove forests near water sources where they feed on crustaceans such as crabs and shrimp among other aquatic animals like insects or snails.
The American white ibis plays an important role in its ecosystem by helping to control insect populations which helps maintain balance within these environments.Scientific classification:
Kingdom | Animalia |
Phylum | Chordata |
Class | Aves |
Order | Pelecaniformes |
Family | Threskiornithidae |
Genus | Eudocimus |
Species | E. albus |
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2. Black Skimmer
The Black Skimmer is a seabird which belongs to the skimmer genus Rynchops and Laridae family.
It breeds in North and South America, while Northern populations migrate south for winter towards warmer climates such as the Caribbean or Pacific coasts.
The Southern American races have adapted to annual floods by making shorter migrations during this time.
These birds are easily identified with their unique long red bill that has an upper mandible longer than its lower mandible.
They feed mainly on small fish caught at night when they skim across shallow water using their beak like a knife cutting through waves of water.
Their dark grey back contrasts against white belly feathers creating beautiful patterns in flight, aiding them in catching prey easier due to its camoflauge effect above and below waters surface.Scientific classification:
Kingdom | Animalia |
Phylum | Chordata |
Class | Aves |
Order | Charadriiformes |
Family | Laridae |
Genus | Rynchops |
Species | R. niger |
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3. Snowy Egret
The Snowy Egret is a small white heron native to North America. Its scientific name, Egretta thula, comes from Provençal French for the little egret and an incorrect reference to the Black-necked Swan by Chilean naturalist Juan Ignacio Molina in 1782.
This beautiful bird has black legs with yellow feet, and a long plume of feathers on its head that often appears as if it’s wearing a crown.
It feeds primarily on insects and aquatic life like fish or frogs making it well adapted for both wetland habitats such as marshes or swamps plus coastal areas close to shorelines.
With their graceful movements they are truly delightful creatures to observe while out exploring nature.Scientific classification:
Kingdom | Animalia |
Phylum | Chordata |
Class | Aves |
Order | Pelecaniformes |
Family | Ardeidae |
Genus | Egretta |
Species | E. thula |
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4. Laughing Gull
The Laughing Gull is a medium-sized bird with gray wings, black head and white underparts. It has bright red legs and bill which make it easily distinguishable from other gulls.
The name comes from its unique laughing call which can be heard in coastal areas throughout the Americas where they breed. They are opportunistic omnivores that feed on fish, carrion, insects or even garbage when available.
During breeding season these birds form large colonies along the Atlantic coast of North America as well as parts of northern South America and Caribbean islands.
There are two subspecies; L megalopturus found in Canada to Central America while L atricilla inhabits rest of their range..
These species have become more common inland due to human settlement near coasts creating ideal habitat for them but also making them scavengers around urban areas.Scientific classification:
Kingdom | Animalia |
Phylum | Chordata |
Class | Aves |
Order | Charadriiformes |
Family | Laridae |
Genus | Leucophaeus |
Species | L. atricilla |
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5. Sternidae
Sternidae are a subgroup of the family Laridae, consisting of eleven genera. They have slender bodies with long forked tails and narrow wings. Their bills are long and their legs relatively short.
Most species display pale grey or white plumage above, while underneath they show black markings on the head along with varying shades of browns elsewhere on their body.
These seabirds can be found in coastal areas near oceans, rivers and wetlands worldwide but especially in North America where they feed primarily on small fish which they capture by swooping down from the air to snatch them up from below the surface.
They also supplement this diet with crustaceans such as crabs when available.Scientific classification:
Kingdom | Animalia |
Phylum | Chordata |
Class | Aves |
Order | Charadriiformes |
Family | Laridae |
Subfamily | Sterninae Bonaparte, 1838 |
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6. Willet
The Willet is a large and robust bird of the Scolopacidae family. It belongs to genus Tringa and it is much larger than its closest relative – lesser yellowlegs, which can be easily distinguished by its fine neck pattern.
The willet has brown upperparts with white patches on wings along with grey underparts. Its bill is thick, long and straight in shape having black coloration at tip while legs are also long but greenish-grey in colour.
They feed mainly on insects, worms or crustaceans that they find near coastal waters or wetlands as well as grains or seeds when available during winters.Scientific classification:
Kingdom | Animalia |
Phylum | Chordata |
Class | Aves |
Order | Charadriiformes |
Family | Scolopacidae |
Genus | Tringa |
Species | T. semipalmata |
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7. Brown Pelican
The majestic brown pelican is a dive-feeding bird that belongs to the pelican family. It is one of the three pelican species found in the Americas and is known to dive into water to catch its prey.
From the Atlantic Coast of New Jersey to the mouth of the Amazon River, and along the Pacific Coast from British Columbia to northern Chile, including the Galapagos Islands, this bird can be found.
Its scientific name is Pelecanus occidentalis, and it has a colored brown plumage, which is its distinct characteristic.
The brown pelican belongs to the largest bird species that exist today, with a wingspan that can stretch up to seven feet long.
This bird helps maintain a balance in the ecosystem by eating smaller fish, crustaceans, and other aquatic prey.Scientific classification:
Kingdom | Animalia |
Phylum | Chordata |
Class | Aves |
Order | Pelecaniformes |
Family | Pelecanidae |
Genus | Pelecanus |
Species | P. occidentalis |
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