- Medieval Definition: Blackbirds are all black, except those from Achaia or Arcadia. In April and May it sings marvellously high, but in the winter its song is unpleasant. Its voice is so sweet that it moves the mind to a feeling of delight. For this reason people keep blackbirds in cages.
Christian Symbolism of the Blackbird in a Medieval Bestiary
A Bestiary was a medieval book with allegorical descriptions of real and fabled animals, such as the Blackbird which were often full of symbolism and contained a moral or religious lesson or allegory. A Bestiary reflected the belief that the world itself was the Word of God, and that every living creature had its own special meaning. Some of the information on this page, about the Blackbird, is taken from the Aberdeen Bestiary which was written in the 12th Century. The Definition and Meaning of the Blackbird as a Religious Christian Symbol - Allegory and Moral
The Meaning of the Blackbird as a Religious Christian Symbol together with the Allegory / Moral detailed in the Bestiary is as follows: The blackbird represents those who are tempted by carnal pleasures. The blackbird in flight represents the temptation to desire. To reject the desire symbolised by the blackbird, you must discipline yourself and thus rid yourself of pleasures of the mind by inflicting pain on your flesh. A white blackbird represents purity of will. | 