Do the Birds Mean Anything in Animal Crossing?
Yes, the birds in Animal Crossing, particularly in New Horizons, do indeed mean something! While they are not interactive in the sense that you can catch or directly engage with them, they serve as visual cues that provide valuable information to the player. Most significantly, they indicate whether there are unread messages on the bulletin board located next to Resident Services. The appearance of a specific bird, and even its timing, holds meaning for the savvy Animal Crossing player. This article dives deeper into the fascinating world of birds in Animal Crossing, exploring their roles and nuances.
Birds as Notification Systems
The Yellow Bird
The most common bird you’ll see perched on the bulletin board is a small, yellow bird. This little avian friend appears during the day and acts as a clear and straightforward indicator: there’s new content on the bulletin board that you haven’t yet read. Whether it’s a letter from a villager, a town announcement, or even a custom design posted by another player, the yellow bird is your signal to check it out. Its presence is tied directly to the existence of unread content, and it will disappear once you’ve caught up with your messages.
The White Owl
When night falls, the white owl takes over the notification duty. Similarly to the yellow bird, the white owl appears when there is new information posted to the message board and is active throughout the night until 6:00 AM. The white owl’s hooting is a nighttime sound, adding to the atmospheric charm of Animal Crossing during those late-night gaming sessions, and serves as a prompt to read through recent posts. After you read your posts for the night, the owl flies away, leaving your bulletin board bird-free until the next notification.
No Interaction, Just Indicators
It’s crucial to note that these birds are not interactive. Unlike other creatures in the game, like bugs or fish, you can’t catch them with your net, shoot them with your slingshot, or engage with them in any direct way. These feathered friends are primarily visual and auditory cues, designed solely to let you know about important news and updates on your island. The game designers purposefully included them to create a sense of real-time activity on your island, without requiring you to constantly check the bulletin board manually.
Beyond the Bulletin Board: Other Birds in Animal Crossing
While the notification birds are the most practically significant, other birds exist in the Animal Crossing world, each with their own unique roles:
Gulliver the Seagull
Gulliver is a recurring character found passed out on your beach. He’s a seagull and an avid explorer who often needs your help to get back to his ship. By helping him, you are rewarded with special furniture and artifacts from different parts of the world, and even the opportunity to earn exclusive Golden Shovel DIY recipes and Gulliver’s photographs to hang on your wall. Gulliver is a major non-playable character that enriches your gameplay experience by creating short, special side quests for you to complete.
Blathers the Owl
Blathers is the curator of the island’s museum. As an owl, Blathers is a dedicated ornithologist in Animal Crossing and serves as a vital component to the game, taking any donations of fish, bugs, sea creatures and even pieces of art that you can find. He will give your character a thorough rundown of each donated specimen as you fill up your island’s museum. The knowledge that he gives to the player helps them learn more about the different creatures, and the history behind each piece of artwork. Blathers also will sometimes talk about the stars or different constellations when the player speaks with him inside the museum.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What do the yellow and white birds specifically signify?
The yellow bird on the bulletin board indicates unread messages during the day, while the white owl signifies the same thing at night. These visual cues mean new content awaits you on your island’s bulletin board and should be checked.
2. Can I catch the birds on the bulletin board?
No, the yellow and white birds are not catchable. They are purely visual indicators and serve only as a notification system for the bulletin board. You cannot interact with them in any way other than to observe them.
3. When do the different birds appear?
The yellow bird appears during the day. The white owl takes over during the night until 6:00 AM, both only appearing when there are unread messages posted to your bulletin board.
4. Do the birds mean I’m missing out on something important?
Yes, the presence of either bird means that you have unread messages on your bulletin board. This can include important information, like town announcements or messages from villagers, so it’s worth taking a moment to check it out.
5. Does the bird appear if I have read all messages from before, but no new ones have arrived?
No, the birds only appear when new messages have been posted to the bulletin board that you have not yet read. If you’ve read everything, the board will be free of any feathered friends.
6. What is the purpose of Gulliver the seagull?
Gulliver is a non-playable character who washes up on the beach. Helping him is a side-quest and he gives rewards in the form of special furniture and artifacts from around the world.
7. Who is Blathers and what does he do?
Blathers is the owl curator of the museum. He accepts donations of fish, bugs, sea creatures, and art, providing information on each donated specimen.
8. Are there any other birds that do more than just tell you about messages?
Yes, while the yellow bird and white owl only show when there are unread messages, other birds, such as Gulliver and Blathers, serve other functions as side-quest givers and a museum curator.
9. Can I interact with the birds beyond simply seeing them?
No, the birds in Animal Crossing that appear on the bulletin board are not interactive. They will fly away if you get too close. The only interaction is to observe them.
10. What does the decoy duck item do?
The decoy duck is a customizable furniture item that can be placed on the ground or surfaces. It serves as a decorative item and does not have any other functionality. It does not perform like the bulletin board birds by alerting you of anything.
11. Which is the rarest animal in Animal Crossing?
Octopi are the rarest villagers in Animal Crossing because there are only five of them in the entire franchise.
12. Which is the rarest fish in Animal Crossing?
The Coelacanth is one of the rarest fish and is only available when it’s raining. It can be caught all year round, at all times of day, in the ocean.
13. Who are some of the most popular bird villagers?
Some of the most popular bird villagers include Piper, Midge, Peck, and Admiral, just to name a few. There are many other great bird villagers, each with their own personalities and styles.
14. What does the chirping sound mean?
The chirping sound in Animal Crossing usually indicates the presence of a mole cricket. These can be found underground during their active season, from November to May.
15. Why is Gulliver lying on the beach?
Gulliver is a seagull explorer that washes up randomly on your beach after falling off of his boat. Helping him is a side-quest, and rewards you with items from all over the world.