augury
Augury is an ancient rite of attributing divine foresight to the habits of winged creatures. It offers a splendid excuse to blame nature for our own misfortune while exalting every lucky squawk as cosmic approval. Priests and politicians have long exploited it, shirking blame onto birds while arrogating credit for any triumph. It magnifies both human hubris and impotence by mistaking silent flutter for prophetic signs. Even today, someone is consulting migrating spring birds on stock prices and neighborhood gossip.