Birdsong

"We are warriors, not rogues. We don't turn on our own Clanmates!"

— Birdsong in Crookedstar's Promise, page 110

Birdsong
The pixel artwork is fanart based on the canon description; undefined traits are left to the artist's interpretation.
Affiliations
Last known:	RiverClan
Biographical information
Cause of death:	Poisoned fish
Names
Elder:	Birdsong
Kin
Mate:	Tanglewhisker
Book appearances
Living	Tallstar's Revenge, Crookedstar's Promise, Leopardstar's Honor, Onestar's Confession
Living	Tallstar's Revenge, Crookedstar's Promise, Leopardstar's Honor, Onestar's Confession

Birdsong is a tabby-and-white she-cat with a white belly, ginger patches around her gray-flecked muzzle, and amber eyes.

History

In the Super Editions

Crookedstar's Promise

"Hungry bellies make for angry hearts."

―Birdsong after hearing about the Clan being hungry ^{Crookedstar's Promise, page 447}

Birdsong is an elder of RiverClan when Stormkit and Oakkit are born. During the storm, she slides out of the elders' den with her mate, Tanglewhisker. She asks where they are going, and Tanglewhisker replies that they're going further inland where they'll be safe. Her eyes widen, shocked at going away from the river, but Hailstar promises that it'll just be for now.

Later, after Tanglewhisker rescues Stormkit from the water, she scolds Tanglewhisker, saying that he would get a cold. He asks her if she wanted Stormkit to drown, to which she mulishly replies that one of the warriors could have done it. Tanglewhisker shrugs, replying that they're all busy. When Hailstar comments that Rippleclaw's patrol will be back soon, Tanglewhisker murmurs that he hopes they'll have caught something edible. Birdsong optimistically tells her mate that she's sure they will have. After Rippleclaw comes back, she asks if he has any prey. Instead Rippleclaw conveys the message that ThunderClan has taken Sunningrocks.

Just before Stormkit and Oakkit sneak out of camp, she suns herself in front of the elders' den with the other elders: Troutclaw and Tanglewhisker. Later, as Stormkit comes out of the medicine den, she shares fresh-kill with Hailstar, Shellheart, and Tanglewhisker. She soon spots him, and calls his name, alerting Tanglewhisker, who appears with Birdsong. When Crookedkit returns to camp after being away for a moon, Tanglewhisker and Birdsong welcome him back warmly, saying that they're not rogues and won't turn on their Clanmates. After Crookedkit is accepted back, she runs to congratulate him with Petalpaw, Echomist and Tanglewhisker.

Later, when Reedfeather comes to the RiverClan camp to speak with Hailstar, Birdsong opposes him, telling him to go back to WindClan. She glances anxiously at the nursery, where Fallowtail is with her kits. As Fallowtail leaves the nursery to talk to Reedfeather, Birdsong wraps her tail around Willowkit and Graykit to keep them close to her. When Reedfeather takes the kits, she presses close to Fallowtail, reassuring her that her kits will remember their mother. Before RiverClan begin planning to take back Sunningrocks, Birdsong catches a cough along with Ottersplash, and watches the Clan meeting from the elders' den. As Shimmerpelt's kitting begins, Birdsong rushes to Brambleberry, offering to help. She is sent to go get honey, and returns with it dripping from her jaws.

Later, during Brightsky's kitting, Birdsong helps Lakeshine and Shimmerpelt get the kits out of the nursery, offering to show them her den. She leaves the kits with Troutclaw and rushes back to help with the kitting. She comes back out from the den and announces three of Brightsky's kits are dead and sends Mudfur in to see that Brightsky had also died. Discovering that one kit had still survived, she sends Crookedjaw to get Shimmerpelt to come nurse it.

As a sickness goes around camp, Birdsong falls ill. Brambleberry and Mudfur come to treat her in the elders' den. When Tanglewhisker asks Brambleberry how Birdsong is, she scolds him, saying she can hear him and can still speak for herself. While she coughs, Tanglewhisker jokingly says she's giving him an earache, to which she replies that he'd miss her if she was gone.

She begins reminiscing about an old barn by the meadow, telling about how a black and white dog attacked her once, and she swiped at its muzzle. Crookedjaw, Brambleberry and Tanglewhisker worry that she's rambling because of her fever. She replies, however, that she's not rambling, but instead remembering that there's hay that would keep the nests dry instead of moss, which would just soak up more water. Hailstar organizes a patrol to go and fetch some for her, taking Crookedjaw, Sedgecreek, Petaldust, and Leopardfur.

After Hailstar's death, she blames herself for suggesting the barn, saying she sent him to his death. Tanglewhisker reassures her that she couldn't have known and shouldn't blame herself. When the cats are lying about after a good day's hunting, Fallowtail asks Birdsong if she's ready to go to her nest. She shakes her head, saying she'd had a long sleep in the afternoon, and she'd stay just a little longer to watch the warriors boast. When Crookedstar tells the Clan that Willowbreeze is expecting kits, she tells Fallowtail that it's her daughter expecting.

Leopardstar's Honor

"She misses Tanglewhisker. The camp doesn't seem the same without him."

―Silverstream to Leopardfur about Birdsong's grief ^{Leopardstar's Honor, page 297}

Crookedjaw calls over to Mudfur while he's bringing leaves to Birdsong to treat her cough. When Whitepaw complains about hunting frogs, Leopardfur reminds him that he's hunting for his Clan and Birdsong enjoys eating frogs. After Whitepaw passes his assessment, he complains about being ordered to clean the elders' nests, though Leopardfur insists he can ask Emberkit and Mosskit to help. The kits are eager to help and Mosskit shoos Birdsong away. When Leopardfur is chosen as the new deputy, she overhears Tanglewhisker and Birdsong whisper doubts to each other. Later, while Sedgecreek and Lakeshine are repairing the elders' den, Tanglewhisker and Birdsong sun themselves in the faint leaf-bare sunshine.

When Leopardfur's patrol returns with a huge salmon stolen from a Twoleg, Crookedstar asks Shadepaw to take some to Birdsong and Tanglewhisker. After a successful hunting patrol in WindClan's vacant territory, Tanglewhisker complains about eating rabbit to Birdsong. When several cats fall ill to a mysterious illness, Mudfur suspects Birdsong may have caught it from Tanglewhisker. However, Tanglewhisker dies from the illness and Birdsong grieves heavily. She helps Graypool create her nest in the elders' den when the gray she-cat decides to retire. Leopardfur hopes to catch a frog to cheer the elder up. Birdsong later falls ill to poisoned river prey after sharing a chub with Mallowtail. While Mallowtail and Heavystep recover, Birdsong dies. Leopardfur suspects ThunderClan poisoned the prey, though RiverClan later learns the river was poisoned by Twoleg rubbish.

Kin

Members

Mate:

Tanglewhisker: Deceased, residence unknown

Appearances

• Tallstar's Revenge (Allegiance only)
• Crookedstar's Promise (First appearance)
• Leopardstar's Honor †
• Onestar's Confession (Allegiance only)

Trivia

Interesting facts

• Birdsong's favorite prey is frog.

Mistakes

• In The Ultimate Guide: Updated and Expanded Edition, it is said that Crookedjaw proposed fetching fresh bedding from the barn that led to Hailstar's death, but it was actually Birdsong.

Continuity

The following information is from sources considered non-canon or retconned.

• On Vicky's Facebook, Birdsong is described as a dark gray and white tabby she-cat with amber eyes, a white belly, and her muzzle has ginger patches and gray flecks from old age. She also resides in StarClan.

Quotes

Crookedjaw: "How is she?"

Birdsong: "She's still got her hearing and tongue in her head."

^{Crookedstar's Promise, page 420}

"Why did I suggest going to the barn? I sent him to his death!"

―Birdsong about Hailstar ^{Crookedstar's Promise, page 434}

External links

• Exclusive! Leopardstar's Honor: Excerpt on the Warriors official website (backup link) (Mentioned only)
• Exclusive! Onestar's Confession: Excerpt on the Warriors official website (backup link) (Allegiance only)