Song for the Hungarian Ornithological Society

gistfile1.txt

### Song for the Hungarian Ornithological Society  

Cuckoo-cuckoo-cuckoo-cuckoo-cuckoo  

The long-eared owl is preening its feathers,  
It doesn’t need a lamp; it sees well in the dark.  
A vole rustling in the ultimate danger,  
Its bones roll in the owl pellet like a ranger.  

Almost catching a little frog, the great curlew,  
It’s happy with a nest; it doesn’t need a holding crew.  
What a blazing-headed goldcrest king  
In this forest-painted cultural scene.  

Yet, baseless accusations strike  
The common buzzard for killing hares outright.  
Try putting up feeders, and you’ll find  
Sparrows chirping, “Max respect, kind mind!”  

Nest boxes bring cheer, no interest rates to dread,  
National parks are no Harlem spread.  
It doesn’t matter who’s crested, eared, or downy,  
Birds don’t destroy each other for oil bounty.  

**Chorus:**  
Birds of prey, cuckoo-like ones,  
Woodcocks, pigeons, and their kindred clans,  
Tit-like, owl-like, or flycatcher schemes,  
Falcons soaring through avian dreams.  

Common here is the reed warbler’s chatter,  
And the singing reed warbler’s banter.  
Both kinds are widely known to scatter,  
The singing and the chirping reed warbler’s patter.  

Little grebe, settling in marshes calm,  
Breeding twice yearly in Hungary’s palm.  
For your nest, oh little grebe, reeds are the crown,  
You also use leaves and algae around.  
Little grebes, your chicks grow up fast,  
Fledging early, independence comes at last.  

The garden ripens with tasty elderberry,  
Hungry little thrush, hello, blackbird buddy!  
The garden ripens with tasty elderberry,  
The hungry little thrush says, hello, blackbird buddy!  

Loving elderberries, living in the bramble maze,  
Feathers dark, pure black ninja phase.  
Loving elderberries, living in the bramble maze,  
Feathers dark, pure black ninja phase.  

**Chorus:**  
Birds of prey, cuckoo-like ones,  
Woodcocks, pigeons, and their kindred clans,  
Tit-like, owl-like, or flycatcher schemes,  
Falcons soaring through avian dreams.  

Clap-clap-clap-clap-clap-clap!  
Neighboring wading bird, clap-clap!  
Your neat little nest, clap-clap!  
Oh, your tiny stork chicks, clap-clap!  
How beautiful they are!  

The stork lives seventy, not a swan’s three hundred,  
Next comes the vulture, a hundred and eighteen splendid.  
Followed by the eagle, a hundred and four marks the way,  
The raven scores a hundred, the goose does too, they say.  
And owls can reach a century, it’s not just a whim—  
But the little finch is only eight, poor him!  

Listen, Mrs. Stork, I’m slightly mad at you,  
Because you pooped on my concrete avenue.  
If this continues, come fall, it’ll erode,  
Please be mindful; I don’t want to pave the road!  

I’ve seen May days, clap-clap!  
Flying past, clap-clap!  
All the way to the lake, clap-clap!  
Then flying back, clap-clap!  

**Chorus:**  
Birds of prey, cuckoo-like ones,  
Woodcocks, pigeons, and their kindred clans,  
Tit-like, owl-like, or flycatcher schemes,  
Falcons soaring through avian dreams.  

Birds of prey, cuckoo-like ones – scarlet grosbeak,  
Woodcocks, pigeons, and their kin – chiffchaff streak.  
Tit-like, owl-like, or woodland pipit streams,  
Flycatchers and red-backed shrikes in avian dreams.