Palm Tanager (Thraupis palmarum) by Ia
Yesterday was the traditionally known day of “Palm Sunday.” Many this week celebrate and remember the last week of the Lord Jesus Christ before His sacrifice on the cross for the sins of mankind. Thought it might be interesting to look at the birds that have “Palm” in their names.
In Leviticus the Bible tells of a celebration they had with palm leaves.
And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days. (Leviticus 23:40 KJV)
From Gill’s Commentary, we learn – “branches of palm trees: which were very common in the land of Judea, and especially about Jericho; see John 12:13; the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem call them “lulabs”, which is the name the Jews give to the whole bundle they carried in their hands on this day:”
Palmchat (Dulus dominicus) ©SevenSeas of Rhye
Palm trees, branches or leaves are mentioned in Exodus 15:17, Leviticus 23:40; Numbers 39:9; Deut. 34:3 – Jericho is called the city of palm trees; Judges 3:13 and 4:5; I Kings 6:29, 32, 35, 7:36; 2 Chronicles 3:5, 28:15, Nehemiah 8:15; Psalm 92:15; Song of Solomon 7:7, 8; Ezekial 40:16-37, 41:18-26; Joel 1:12; and in John 12:13.
The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out: “Hosanna! ‘BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!’ The King of Israel!” Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written: “FEAR NOT, DAUGHTER OF ZION; BEHOLD, YOUR KING IS COMING, SITTING ON A DONKEY’S COLT.”
(John 12:12-15 NKJV)
The people were excited and were strawing the road with the palm branches. They were celebrating what they thought was their King who would take them out of the control of their current rulers. By weeks end, they will have changed their “Hosanna!”s into “Crucify Him!”s.
I realize that the birds have been named by various people, beginning with Adam until the current namers. Many of the birds that have Palm in their names do associate with Palm trees in one aspect or another. Maybe the next time you observe the “Palm” birds that were “Formed By Him,” our Creator and Savior, you will remember the day He rode into Jerusalem on a “palm road” Maybe He gave these birds the desire to use the Palm Trees so that when we see them we will not forget the prophecies that were fulfilled that day.
Palm Cockatoo (Probosciger aterrimus) by Ian
Birds with “Palm” in their name:
Palm-nut Vulture (Gypohierax angolensis)
“feeds mainly on the fruit of the oil-palm”
Palm Cockatoo (Probosciger aterrimus)
“they have been observed eating the seeds of the kanari and black bean trees, and the fruits of the nonda tree and Pandanus palms.”
Palm Lorikeet (Charmosyna palmarum)
“Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical moist montanes, and plantations”
African Palm Swift (Cypsiurus parvus)
The down and feather nest is glued to the underside of a palm leaf with saliva, which is also used to secure the usually two eggs. This is a fast flying bird of open country, which is strongly associated with Oil Palms. (applies to other palm swifts)”
Antillean Palm Swift (Tachornis phoenicobia)
Asian Palm Swift (Cypsiurus balasiensis)
Neotropical Palm Swift (Tachornis squamata)
Pygmy Palm Swift (Tachornis furcata)
“observed them near mature cultivated palms, which represented nesting and roosting substrates”
Point-tailed Palmcreeper (Berlepschia rikeri)
“found in tropical and subtropical dry forests, mostly in palm groves”
Palm Crows on Palm ©SwamiStream
Cuban Palm Crow (Corvus minutus)
“Nests are located in stands of tall palms with breeding from April-July or possibly earlier”
Hispaniolan Palm Crow (Corvus palmarum)
“The nest is made of sticks and placed among tree branches or in a palm tree.”
Palmchat (Dulus dominicus)
Collared Palm Thrush (Cichladusa arquata)
“Dry palm savanna and moist palm shrubland.”
Rufous-tailed Palm Thrush (Cichladusa ruficauda)
Spotted Palm Thrush (Cichladusa guttata)
Golden Palm Weaver (Ploceus bojeri)
Palm Warbler (Dendroica palmarum)
Palm Tanager (Thraupis palmarum)
“seems to like habitat with palms on which it feeds”
Information from various internet websites.
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