April 2016: Birds on National Flags

Hey everyone, and welcome back to Caitlin’s Corner! This month, I thought I would travel around the world and take you through the different country flags that have birds on them and the story behind that. There are so many flags; I am sure not to cover all of them, but I will try my best! Let’s kick this off:

1. Albania: Albania is in the Balkan Peninsula and located near Italy and Greece. The double-headed eagle is shadowed in the center of this red flag. The red symbolizes strength and bravery, while the eagle stands for the independent state. The bird is not new to the area; in fact, it was borrowed for a banner that belonged to the Byzantine Empire. It was used in the Middle Ages in noble families as part of the duties of officers and arms. Now, it is just used to show how Albania is its own state.

2. Dominica: Dominica is a country in the Caribbean between the US and South America, and I really like this flag! Alwin Bully designed it in 1978. There are yellow, black, and white stripes on green. The sisserou parrot (yes, it is actually either blue or purple) is in the middle, and is the nation’s honored national bird. This is because the parrot is native to Dominica and is so endangered that it only has around a population of 300. Save the sisserou parrots!

3. Ecuador: Ecuador is located in western South America near Columbia. There are yellow, blue, and red stripes, and the coat of arms is in the center. It pictures mountain Chimborazo with a river and a steamboat (Guayas). There are also snakes and a sun. Finally, the bird on the top is a condor and is seen spreading its wings to show that it is always ready for an attack. The condor symbolizes strength, greatness, and power. Pictured above the land, it is seen as a protector.

4. Egypt: Egypt is located in the Middle East near Europe and Africa. There are red (symbolizing before the Revolution), white (symbolizing during the Revolution), and black (symbolizing after the Revolution) lines with a bird, the Eagle of Saladin. The eagle is a national symbol and is shown holding a scroll and a shield. On a wall in Cairo, this symbol is found, which is why it is probably found on the flag. Cairo was a place where Saladan, the first sultan of Egypt and Syria, was. So, this bird holds historical importance.

5. Kiribati: Kiribati is located a ways below Hawaii as a small island. Its flag has a golden frigatebird on it, soaring over a rising sun over the ocean. The sun and the waves represent parts of the country. The bird is used to mean ocean, freedom, and power. There isn’t much of a story here, but rather the bird acts as a symbol for the country to prosper.

6. Mexico: Mexico is located south of the United States. I really love the story of how the bird appears on this flag. The design has changed over the years, but the eagle has remained constant. It is holding a snake and stands on a cactus that sits on a rock on a lake. Pretty specific, you say? Yes, that is because it is based of a legend. The Aztecs, an ancient tribe of Mexico, were told to walk to find a place to build their city. That place was to have an eagle eating a snake. They found this eagle there and settled, and now this place is familiarly known as Mexico City!

7. Papua New Guinea: Papua New Guinea is part of a set of islands above Australia. This is where the birds of paradise are found, so of course their flag has to incorporate a unique bird into it! The yellow silhouette is of a raggiana bird-of-paradise. The red and black highlight Germany, which colonized Papua New Guinea, back in the day. Susan Karike, 15 years old, who won the national competition in 1971, designed this flag.

In 7th grade, I had a project with a small group to create a country. I designed the flag for our made-up country with http://www.scholastic.com/parents/resources/game/tools/flag-maker. Here is a picture:

I designed it this way for certain reasons. The blue is the sky (representing peace), the green the grass (representing earth), and the yellow circle the sun (representing happiness and energy). A dove flies across the sun (representing peace and love). This is what my country was about, which gives a good idea why certain countries decided to pick certain colors and symbols. Thank you for joining me this month on Caitlin’s Corner! See you soon!