This is Bird Note.

It's easy to imagine that putting up a bird house or nest box is a recent practice

born of our increased environmental consciousness or tied to the growth of

backyard birdwatching.

But in fact, it has a long history and nowhere more so than in Turkey.

Since at least the 13th century and continuing through the long period of

Ottoman rule, people expressed a close connection with wild birds.

It was thought that doves guarded lovers and that migrating storks visited

holy places and that the houses and buildings on which swallows nested

would be protected from fire.

Bird houses were placed on all sorts of structures, mosques,

schools, libraries, houses, tombs, bridges, even palaces.

They were built of wood, brick, plaster, and stone.

Dove coats structures built especially to accommodate rock pigeons

adorned many buildings.

The Ottomans even endowed charities to provide food and water for birds

and to take care of sick birds.

Bird houses were viewed as an expression of love and compassion for animals.

And while some were simple, others were magnificent.

Built as tiny scale models of the buildings they adorned.

Tiny palaces for birds attached to the immense palaces of rulers.

For Bird Note, I'm Mary McCann.

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