Most people are familiar with the popular holiday classic, “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” The song gives a full accounting of the many gifts that the singer’s true love has sent to them on Christmas and the days following.
To say that the gifts the singer chooses are odd is an understatement. If you’re anything like us at Born Free USA and have been kept up at night wondering exactly how many total animals one is gifted by the end of “The Twelve Days of Christmas” (and troubled as to why almost half of the gifts are humans!), then you’ve come to the right place.
By the end of the song, you end up with a staggering 184 total birds, including 12 partridges, 22 turtle doves, 30 French hens, 36 calling birds, 42 geese, and 42 swans. With all the other gifts, including the five gold rings, eight maids-a-milking, and 11 pipers piping, the grand total is a whopping 364 gifts altogether, which would cost you $201,972.66 in 2024, with the swans alone totaling $1,875 each.
Let’s Explore the Natural Behaviors of Some of the Species Mentioned
The song’s birds include red-legged partridges, or medium-sized birds with natural ranges in parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Partridges lay the biggest clutches of any bird, often with as many as 15 eggs or more. While the female incubates the eggs, the male remains invariably close by, as both sexes are attentive parents.
European turtle doves are shy birds native to England, and are the only long-distance migratory dove species in Europe, with their more common relatives like the collared dove and wood pigeon staying in the UK year-round.
French hens are domesticated chickens that were prized birds raised for meat in both France and England when “The Twelve Days of Christmas” was written in the late 16th century. The breed Bresse Gauloise, for example, was sometimes called the ‘queen of poultry and the poultry of kings.’
Lastly, Eurasian blackbirds – the “calling birds” mentioned in the song – are the most common black bird species in Europe and form monogamous pairs when nesting. Pairs often raise up to three broods per year, usually with 3–4 chicks per brood. Blackbirds carry rich symbolism, particularly around transformation and change. Their dark plumage represents the mysteries of life, death, and rebirth. In many cultures, blackbirds are considered guides between the worlds of the living and the dead.
Wild Animals Aren’t Objects to Gift!
Despite its sensationalist lyrics and light-hearted, silly tone, “The Twelve Days of Christmas” reminds us of a theme still increasingly prevalent and damaging in our culture: the material value that we often ascribe to wild animals not meant for human possession, entertainment, or exploitation, who are forced into the exotic pet trade and zoo industry year after year. Along with reptiles, birds are some of the most frequently traded animals for the exotic pet trade in the world, despite having some of the most complex, behavioral, and species-specific needs in captivity.
Despite legislation in place to protect endangered species, according to the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI), millions of wild birds are still smuggled illegally and traded on the black market to meet the demand for the pet trade, collectors, and bird fighting. Parrots and other caged birds comprise the largest group of captive wild animals in the United States, and they are the fourth most popular animal kept as pets – only after dogs, cats, and fish. Estimates from previous years suggest that as many as 800,000 wild-caught birds to be sold into the pet trade were imported into the U.S. in one year.
Say no to Holiday Activities that Harm and Exploit Animals
Although singing or listening to “The Twelve Days of Christmas” is harmless (other than perhaps getting on the nerves of those around you), this year, please help us continue to protect wild animals and say “no” to any “festive” activities that involve the unwilling and unnatural participation of wild animals. Here’s to keeping more wildlife in the wild in 2025!
Keep Wildlife in the Wild,
Devan
Dear Reader,
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Thank You,
The Born Free USA Team
