One of the most common and versatile ingredients in magick is bird bones. Bird bones have been used for centuries by various cultures and traditions for different purposes, such as divination, protection, healing, and enchantment. In this blog post, I will explore some of the ways that bird bones can be used in magick and how to obtain them ethically and respectfully.

Divination
Bird bones can be used as a tool for divination, or the practice of seeking knowledge of the future or the unknown by supernatural means. There are different methods of using bird bones for divination, such as casting them on a cloth or a board with symbols and interpreting their patterns and positions or holding them in your hands and feeling their vibrations and messages. Some practitioners use specific types of bird bones for specific types of questions, such as owl bones for wisdom, raven bones for secrets, or dove bones for love. Chicken bones in particular are popular among New Orleans Voudou practitioners as tools of divination. They are also considered good luck.

Protection
Bird bones can be used for protection, or the practice of shielding oneself or others from harm or negative influences. There are different ways of using bird bones for protection, such as wearing them as amulets or charms, burying them around your property or home, or placing them in a jar or a mojo bag with other protective herbs and stones. Some practitioners use specific types of bird bones for specific types of protection, such as Chicken bones to guard good luck, eagle bones to grow courage, hawk bones for vision to see that which needs to be protected, or swan bones for grace.

Healing
Bird bones can be used as tools for restoring health and well-being to oneself or others. There are different ways of using bird bones for healing, such as making them into teas or tinctures, grinding them into powders or pastes, or burning them as incense or offerings. Some practitioners use specific types of bird bones for specific types of healing, such as crane bones for longevity, hummingbird bones for joy, or peacock bones for beauty.

Enchantment
Bird bones can also be used as a tool for enchantment, or the practice of influencing or changing the qualities or behaviors of oneself or others by magical means. There are different ways of using bird bones for enchantment, such as carving them into runes or symbols, stringing them into necklaces or bracelets, or embedding them into candles or dolls. Some practitioners use specific types of bird bones for specific types of enchantment, such as crow bones for transformation, sparrow bones for luck, or phoenix bones for rebirth.

How to obtain bird bones ethically and respectfully
Bird bones are sacred and powerful items that should not be taken lightly or disrespectfully. If you want to use bird bones in your magick, you should always obtain them ethically and respectfully. This means that you should never kill a bird or harm a living bird for its bones. You should only use bird bones that come from natural sources, such as roadkill, found remains, or ethical hunting. You should always ask permission from the spirit of the bird before taking its bones and thank it afterwards. You should also cleanse and consecrate the bird bones before using them in your magic and dispose of them properly when you are done.

​Birds have long been a source of inspiration for humans, not only for their beauty and grace, but also for their ability to produce a variety of sounds and melodies. Some of the earliest musical instruments ever made were flutes carved from bird bones, dating back to the Paleolithic era. One of the most remarkable examples of these ancient flutes was recently discovered in northern Israel, at a site that was once a wetland teeming with migratory birds.

The flutes were made from the wing bones of coots and teals, small waterfowl that were hunted by the Natufian people, who lived in the Levant region about 12,000 years ago. The Natufians were hunter-gatherers who practiced some of the earliest forms of agriculture and animal domestication. They also had a rich cultural life, as evidenced by their elaborate burials, artistic expressions, and musical instruments.

The flutes have holes bored into them, which allow them to produce different pitches when blown into. Researchers from the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem tested replicas of the flutes and found that they could mimic the sounds of birds of prey, such as the Eurasian Sparrowhawk and the Common Kestrel. This could have been a clever hunting strategy, as the flutes could have been used to scare away the waterfowl, making them easier to catch as they took flight.

Another possibility is that the flutes were played for musical purposes, perhaps as part of rituals or ceremonies. The Natufians may have used them to imitate the sounds of nature, or to create their own melodies and songs. One of the flutes was found intact, which is very rare for such an ancient artifact. It is also one of the oldest musical instruments in the world, and a testament to the creativity and ingenuity of our prehistoric ancestors.