2020
SJ3390 : Liver Bird, Royal Liver Building, Liverpool
taken 4 years ago, near to Seacombe, Wirral, England
Liver Bird, Royal Liver Building, Liverpool
The Liver Bird is a giant fowl whose main habitat is the Mersey estuary. It is similar in appearance to a cormorant although much larger and heavier. Like cormorants, Liver Bird enjoy perching on tall structures. This fine specimen, known as Bella, is resting on the west tower of the Royal Liver Building. Her mate, Bertie, is often seen perching on the east tower, watching over the City.
Liver Bird can get quite old because their size protects them effectively from predation; for example, the two specimens described here have first been seen in Liverpool in 1911, more than a century ago, when they were already adult.
Liver Bird are amongst the heaviest birds on Earth, typically weighing in at about four tons. Both males and females can reach 5.5m when perched erect. A seagull in flight has been included in this picture to demonstrate the enormous dimensions of the Liver Bird. Unlike seagulls, Liver Bird do not tend to make a nuisance by laying their eggs on the roofs of buildings. As a result, Liverpudlians are much more tolerant of Liver Birds on their iconic waterfront buildings than of other marine bird species. In fact, they are quite fond of their feathered neighbours. Some claim that the birds perching on the Royal Liver Building protect the City by ensuring the pubs never close. However, this claim has recently been falsified as the birds do not seem to have been able to prevent the closure of all the City's pubs during the 2020 coronavirus lock-down, only a few weeks after this photo was taken from inside the north window of the Museum of Liverpool.
The bronze liver bird sculptures atop the two towers of the Royal Liver Building were made by Carl Bernard Bartels in 1911. The liver bird, usually shown with a twig of laver seaweed, is a symbol of Liverpool dating back to the first city seal whose first imprint, recorded in 1352, shows a cormorant with seaweed in its mouth.
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