Birds have recently figured prominently in Canadian and Irish media stories, interestingly in both cases involving departments of state in both countries.

In Ireland it is the Department of Posts which has attracted attention for its gender bias in the selection of birds depicted on its postage stamps. The Department has been accused of favouring -no pun-male birds. Apparently of the 23 birds chosen by the Department for representation on stamps, only 2 are females.

In Canada it is the Department of Public Works which has come under scrutiny after detailing two workers to shoo away pigeons from lighting on the statues on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, reportedly at a cost of some $4,000 a month.

One of the workers was described as an apprentice.

No details were given of the length of apprenticeship to be served, skills necessary, and whether the positions were declared unilingual, mandatory French, mandatory English, or bilingual.

Judging by the nature of the work a new language classification may be necessary, pidgin English, thought to have already established a firm hold in many departments dealing with the public.

Aristophanes (448-380 B.C.) is remembered for his classic comedy Birds. More than two thousand years later our feathered friends occupy a prominent perch in the bird brained of both Canada and Ireland.