Bird conflict project

Introduction

Birds can be difficult to conflict check. Any conflict check must take into account the bird category and the default postures of the relevant birds, as well as number, color, and arrangement.

Generally speaking, birds are considered different when: (a) they were considered different in period, (b) they are displayed in a period posture, (c) they are drawn correctly, and (d) there is some visual difference between them (i.e., there is really no visual difference between a popinjay and a hawk). If the posture is changed from period or not drawn correctly, conflict may be introduced even to birds in different categories. (http://heraldry.sca.org/loar/2003/11/03-11brd.htm, Appendix M of SENA.)

Categories

There are five general bird categories:

• "regular-shaped" birds (includes martlets, ravens, eagles, raptors, owls, doves)
  • These have a classic bird shape, compact light- or medium-weight birds with small necks and beaks, short to medium legs, plain tails.
• "swan-shaped" birds (includes swans, geese, and ducks)
  • These are waterfowl with long necks, rounded bills, long heavy bodies, and webbed feet.
• "poultry-shaped" birds (includes chickens, quail, partridge, and peacocks)
  • These are compact rounded birds with short to medium necks, short beaks, heavy rounded bodies, medium or short legs, often with distinctive heads or tails (combs, crests, fans.)
• "crane-shaped" birds (includes cranes, herons, and storks)
  • These are tall thin birds with long necks, long pointed beaks, medium-weight bodies, and very long legs.
• "penguin-shaped" birds (like penguins and auks) - added in 2012.
  • These are birds with rounded heads and compact elongated bodies that tend to be carried upright rather than horizontal.

Not all period birds fall into the categories above - popinjays (parrots) are drawn heraldically as "regular shaped" birds in period (similar to a crow), but a natural popinjay (parrot) has a pronounced tail that would require comparison with "poultry shaped" birds. Birds not mentioned above must be compared on a case-by case basis with very similar birds (SCA-compatible birds not found in period heraldry, for example, New World birds.)

Any bird known to period Europeans may be used in Society armory – though, if the bird is not itself European, its use may be considered a step from period practice. (An exception is made for non-European birds actually used in period European armory. The turkeycock is perhaps the prime example of this.) (Birds, Online Pictorial Dictionary of Heraldry)

Birds within the same category are not substantially different from one another. However, some birds in the same category are significantly different enough for a CD. Therefore, birds within the same group do not automatically conflict - the default or period postures of each helps determine the conflict.

Birds from different categories, when in period postures for those birds, will usually be considered completely different for purposes of conflict.

Postures

There are some bird postures unique to Society heraldry:

• "migrant/migratory" - drawn tergiant, with wings displayed or displayed inverted, head erect; by default "migrant" posture is toward the chief.
• "stooping" - drawn volant to dexter base, with the body bendwise sinister and the wings addorsed and swept back.
• “striking" - drawn with wings elevated and addorsed, head lowered, and talons extended; for purposes of difference, it conflicts with "rising".

SENA begins to categorize postures for conflict checking purposes in Appendix L, as follows:

B. Birds: The postures listed within each group generally conflict, though a distinct change may be given for facing to dexter or to sinister.

• close, naiant
• displayed*, migrant
• volant
• rousant, rising, striking

* May 2014 LoAR adds this about the volant posture: This month we ruled that a bird volant had substantially different posture from a bird close. SENA A5E5a does not currently list the volant posture in one of its groups of postures that receive substantial difference from other groups of postures. Look for a Palimpsest rules letter to further discuss whether or not volant should be added in general to SENA A5E5a, and if so, under what circumstances.

* November 2003 LoAR adds this about the diplayed posture: All birds (other than eagles) in the displayed posture are considered [a SFPP] and are not eligible for substantial difference [DC] - unless documentation is provided showing that the particular type of (non-eagle) bird is frequently found in the displayed posture in period.

To summarize the November 2003 LoaR information about bird postures:

• The unmodified term “bird” can be used in blazon to refer to a generic bird, vaguely pigeon-shaped; it will conflict with all other birds.
• Barring evidence to the contrary for a particular type of bird, it may be assumed that any type of bird is in a period posture when it is close.
• If a bird is found in a rising posture in period, it is reasonable to assume that both rising wings addorsed and rising wings displayed are standard variants of that posture.
• Period birds that are reguardant are considered a standard posture variant of period birds that are not reguardant. So, if a bird is found in the rising posture in period, it is reasonable to assume that rising reguardant is also a period posture.
  • One cannot make the same assumption about guardant.
• Turning any type of bird to sinister is considered a standard posture variant for all period heraldic postures, due to long-standing SCA practice. So, if a bird is found in the naiant posture in period, then for purposes of SCA heraldic rulings we will also consider the naiant to sinister posture to be period.
• Displayed posture is an SFPP for all birds other than eagles.
• Birds must be drawn in period fashion, correctly, on the submission.

This compilation of precedents begins with the first tenure of Francois la Flamme (August 2001 - April 2004), during which a considerable number of decisions were handed down regarding birds, and moves forward in time from that point.