Old-fashioned cultural values delegate women's roles as caretakers, life-givers, and protectors. The female red-winged blackbird’s behaviour mirrors this as she diligently builds and guards the nest, tends to the young, and protects them from predators by blending into the reeds.
 

This can be tied to the teachings about women as protectors of the next generations, holding the knowledge and responsibility of sustaining life. These old tales and beliefs are important when imagining how earlier peoples across the world used stories to connect their lives to nature in a spiritual way. The symbolism is found everywhere going back millennia. Creating duality between the male and female in a species to explain their roles.

 

Sitting amongst the reeds and watching the male's loud behaviour and fleeting patience compared to the females calmly resting on their own perches reminds me of just how idiotic we men can be at times. It is humbling to realise that people are still, in essence, instinctual and not so above the natural world around us as we think we are.

 

It takes a lot to disregard the noise and focus on the peace in front of you.

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-Tyler Thoren