One longstanding tradition of divination, is the observance and interpretation of prophetic signs, or omens. But what constitutes an Omen?

Portent symbols, omens are phenomena observed or experienced and believed to be harbingers of the future. They are significant circumstances that allow the perceptive a glimpse of what may be to come. An omen may be considered positive or negative, depending upon the interpreter as well as the culture in which s/he resides or has internalized. Commonly, omens signify that Change, of some sort or another, is afoot, and that a reversal of fortune, for good or ill, may be imminent. The prophetic messages perceived from omens may not necessarily be crystal clear -- usually some amount of introspection is required, or a bit of a mystery and intrigue to unravel, in order to fully comprehend any significance... Even then, misinterpretation of the omen is always a risk....

A wide variety of phenomena may be perceived as ominous, from the spectacular and dramatic (eclipses, rainbows, earthquakes, plagues), to the small and subtle (a four leaf clover, a sacred feather, tea leaves). Even perfectly ordinary everyday objects may become Prophetic, when placed in a particularly meaningful context (a black cat crossing one's path, the flip of a coin, a shattered mirror)....

Regarding my entry into the show, the common Black Bird, in many a culture and tradition, has a long history of being perceived a symbolic object of prophetic divination.....