It’s the crows’ wedding day - What is the 1 March saying and what is its meaning?

For as long as I can remember, the 1 March has been known as ‘the crows’ wedding day’.
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Of course, it’s an old saying, believed to date back to the mid 1800s, one that has been passed down through the generations.

As a child, who loved birds, the expression conjured up wonderful images of crows gathering for a grand ceremony!

Indeed, my daughter asked last night if they would be having pancakes at their wedding this year, since it’s coinciding with Shrove Tuesday.

Image: RSPBImage: RSPB
Image: RSPB

The 19th Century rhyme goes: “On the first of March the crows begin to search;
“By the first of April they are sitting still;
“By the first of May they have flown away!
“Croupin’, greedy, back again, wi’ October’s wind and rain.”

So what does it mean? On 1 March, it’s thought the crows begin searching for a mate and start to build their nests.

In Ireland, it’s also believed that if 1 March falls on a Sunday, the crows won’t begin their nest building.

Instead, they start gathering sticks to build their nests on 2 March.

The rest of the rhyme describes the birds sitting on their clutch of eggs, until they hatch and ‘fly the nest’, only to return in the autumn.

Do you refer to 1 March as the crows’ wedding day? Or, do you have any other rural sayings or rhymes that you would like to share? You can email them to [email protected]

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