It’s almost time for our special bird-themed issue, dear readers! To celebrate, we asked the LSQ team what their favorite birds are and why. Let us know what your favorite birds are in the comments, and be sure to tune back in tomorrow when Issue 048 goes live!
Blogger Amanda Lien: “My favorite bird is definitely the cardinal, thanks to a silly childhood memory: When I was a kid, there was this red (male) cardinal who seemed to make it his life’s mission to bother my father. My dad worked overnights, and this bird would sit outside his window at 7 am, when my dad was about to go to sleep, and sing the song of his people as loud as possible. We figured it was just birds being birds…until my dad was outside working in the yard one day and that same cardinal dive-bombed him and made off with the remnants of his granola bar. He and his mate later went on to build a nest atop our back porch extension, and in the interest of brokering peace, we left that nest alone!”
Editor Katrina Brown: “I have an absurd love for pigeons and seagulls. My mom loves both, and any time we had stale bread or cereal that needed using, we would dump it all in a bag that we hung behind our back door. Whenever it was full or we had to run a lot of errands we would grab the bag and take it with us. While running errands my mom would look for seagulls on light posts in parking lots and we’d stop and throw out the crackers or whatever and feed the seagulls. They’d all come flying down to get it and eventually loads of them would be waiting for food. Whenever we would head toward a freeway overpass we’d roll down our windows with handfuls of mix from the bag and throw it out for the pigeons living under the overpass (while the car was
moving) like we were crazy people. I know now that seagulls and pigeons should probably not be eating the things we would feed them when I was little (thankfully) but now as an adult, whenever I see seagulls or pigeons I have a weird need to reach behind me in the car for something to throw out to them 
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Editor Sarah Pauling: “Since moving to Seattle I’ve grown more fond of crows! I already knew they were intelligent, but there’s something very charming about these big birds hopping in front of you on the sidewalk like pigeons looking for breadcrumbs. They’re absolutely fearless here. My cat still thinks she could take one, and she’s wrong.”
Editor-in-chief Jennifer Lyn Parsons: “I’m going to sound like a broken record, but for me it’s cardinals and crows! My grandmother loved cardinals and since she passed away many years ago now, the whole family has adopted her love of the birds. When one of us is having a tough time, inevitably a cardinal will show up and we all recognize it as a sign Gram is looking out for us and everything will be okay. Those little red friends have been a beacon of joy in dark times.
I also love crows, though putting my finger on why is a challenge. They’re gother than goth? They’re so sociable? They’re smart? I’m not sure, but something about them is so magical and cool.”
Editor Shana Ross: “Hoopoes. They’re clever and cheeky and look – to my eye – mismatched, with their bright crest of headfeathers, wings that look like they’re from a woodpecker stuck on the body of a mourning dove, and a beak that’s just a little too long and curved… they tend to take on a trickster role in Middle Eastern folk tales, or at least are entirely unintimidated by human characters. And that part was true, in my experience. Hoopoes will look you in the eye as if they’re about to give you a piece of their mind or start a philosophical conversation with you. I used to feed a bunch in my backyard when I was a kid, and I was convinced I had an understanding with them, that these were my friends. I would also like to shout out Big Bird, who has been working hard to help kids grow smarter, stronger, and kinder since 1969.”
Editor Angelica Fyfe: “I really love starlings because of the murmurations they do (where they all fly in motion together and it looks like a choreographed performance). Also emus because even if they’re flightless, they are very speedy (great leg muscles!) and resilient (see: the Emu “War”, or many other unsuccessful attempts to reduce their population). They are grouchy but loveable. And while we don’t have them over here in the UK, hummingbirds are wonderful too! I used to see them often in California, and they are tiny but very maneuverable as they’re the only birds that can fly backwards (which you can see if you watch them drinking nectar as they fly between flowers).”
Blogger Ella Syverson: “My favorite bird is the crow. They are smart, creative, social, and unfairly outcast as both common and creepy. They are ominous and spooky, while also being adjacent to the categories of animals deemed city vermin like rats and pigeons. Their call is guttural and ugly in its rawness. They seek the things that shine and gleam in the sun. They are goblin core. I love these creatures with all my heart.”
Editor Cait Ryan: “My favorites are hummingbirds and cardinals. Hummingbirds I love because every time I see one I feel a little burst of joy. They make me think of little fairies. My reason for loving cardinals is the same as Jennifer’s. They were my grandma’s favorite bird and she had pictures and figurines of them all over her house. Whenever I see one, I know she’s looking out for me.”