Wings

God assigned birds to the realm of the sky, and He gave them the provision of wings. The Bible also refers to flying insects, of which there are many! Beyond the birds and insects, however, there are very few creatures that can fly.

When it comes to genuine flight, in fact, there is one flying mammal – the bat. All the other “flying” creatures (to the best of my knowledge) do not fly and do not have wings; instead, they glide by using some type of membrane or skin flap. Flying squirrels and colugos use a membrane called a patagium. The Draco lizard uses skin flaps. The paradise tree snake propels itself by flattening and stiffening its body in the air. (Ewwww!) Flying fish use wing-like fins to glide after leaping out of the water. Flying frogs use webbed feet and skin flaps. These “flying” creatures glide 200 feet or less; the exception is the flying fish, which can go over 600 feet. While these few mammals, reptiles, fish, and amphibians show some semblance of flight, they are not the same as birds – not even close.

God sometimes includes the detail of wings when He refers to birds. “God created ... every winged bird after its kind” (Genesis 1:21). “Any winged bird that flies in the sky” (Deuteronomy 4:17). “Even winged fowl” (Psalm 78:27). “Winged fowl” (Psalm 148:10). “The winged creature” (Ecclesiastes 10:20). Like the references to “birds of the sky,” perhaps “winged birds” also seems redundant, but it is God’s reminder of His unique and purposeful design.

There is something enviable about having wings. As a birder, I have often wished I could rise up and hover above the treetops. When birds sit up in the crowns of trees a hundred feet high, I just can’t see them from below. If I happen to spot them, all I see is a white belly – but not the distinguishing features of the head or back. What a view I would have if I could suspend myself above them! How convenient it would be to quickly follow birds from one tree to another or to transport myself to the other side of a lake!

I’m not the first person who has desired to fly. The Bible gives this soul-anguished desire. “I said, ‘Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest. Behold, I would wander far away, I would lodge in the wilderness. I would hasten to my place of refuge from the stormy wind and tempest’” (Psalm 55:6-8). How many people have felt like this?! (Especially moms with multiple littles.) The desire is to easily and quickly get away. Even a car is not sufficient for this desperation. If we could fly, there would be no traffic delays, no stops at gas stations, no limitation of path based on the direction of the roads, no limitation of destination based on the existence of roads, no barriers of mountains or canyons or rivers or even oceans. What freedom flight would give! We could escape the trouble that engulfs us.

Flight is the most obvious purpose for wings, but it is not the only purpose. At the most basic level, the movement of wings is a sign of life. I think that is what God is indicating in this verse. “And my hand reached to the riches of the peoples like a nest, and as one gathers abandoned eggs, I gathered all the earth; and there was not one that flapped its wing or opened its beak or chirped” (Isaiah 10:14). There were no living birds in the nest to defend it or protest.

God also refers to wings used for flight. “Is it by your understanding that the hawk soars, stretching his wings toward the south?” (Job 39:26). Some birds fly high, and some birds fly low. Some flights are for short distances, and others are quite lengthy. The hawk in this verse flies high and far with his wings.

Another purpose of wings is for balance, especially in flight. Birds adjust their wing shape for lift or to best utilize the wind currents or rising thermals. This is very interesting with turkey vultures. Except for takeoff, vultures hardly ever flap. Instead, they tilt, shift, and wobble; their constant adjustments help them to stay aloft with minimal effort. Canada geese are also interesting; as they prepare for landing, they arch their wings into what reminds me of mini parachutes on each side, slowing them to drop into their landing area.

Wings are used for temperature regulation. When they are cold, birds fluff their feathers and trap an insulating layer of warm air under their wings. When birds are hot, they can relax or open their wings to release the warmth underneath and to allow air flow - the bird equivalent of removing a layer of clothing. Some birds spread their wings to absorb sunlight.

Another purpose of wings is for shelter. Mother birds shelter their babies from the cold or from threats. “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling” (Matthew 23:37, Luke 13:34).

Wings are a part of the mating rituals of some birds. It is often the brightness of a male’s color that attracts a mate; red-winged blackbirds, for example, will display their bright shoulder patches to impress the ladies. Some birds have a fluttering display as they court. Other birds make noises with their wings during their courtship routines. Grouse beat their wings against a fallen log in increasingly rapid drumming noises. Woodcocks have an elaborate mating flight which can only be described as a dance – fluttering upward spirals, hovering at significant heights, and a zigzagging descent accompanied by wing whistling.

Finally, wings can be used for communication (beyond the mating rituals). Males spread or display their wings to intimidate and assert dominance. An aggressive turkey will thrust forward with flapping to defend its young (personal experience!) A killdeer will pretend to have a broken wing to draw attention away from its young. Birds will shiver to back down from a confrontation and show submission. Fluttering of wings can be a signal to prepare for imminent flight. When mourning doves take off, their wings make a whistling noise, which probably communicates a need for flight.

On a more brutal note, wings also provide a convenient way for humans to capture and process birds. “Then he shall tear it by its wings” (Leviticus 1:17).

Not all wings are created equal. God acknowledges bird wings as distinct from insect wings and angel wings. “After this I kept looking, and behold, another one, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird” (Daniel 7:6).

Even bird wings have variety – strong and powerful eagle wings, weak but effective turkey vulture wings, tiny and rapid hummingbird wings. God designed the right wings for each bird’s function and needs. Future posts will focus on the following species; for now, a record of the different wings God mentions.

God frequently mentions the wings of eagles. (Exodus 19:4; Deuteronomy 32:11; Proverbs 23:5; Jeremiah 48:40; Jeremiah 49:22; Ezekiel 17:3; Ezekiel 17:7; Daniel 7:4; Revelation 12:14). God spoke of eagles’ wings when He wanted to emphasize grandness, power, and speed.

When God spoke of ostrich wings, He was referring to exuberant flapping. “The ostriches’ wings flap joyously with the pinion and plumage of love” (Job 39:13).

When He spoke of dove wings, it was to emphasize beauty. “When you lie down among the sheepfolds, you are like the wings of a dove covered with silver, and its pinions with glistening gold” (Psalm 68:13),

And whatever the reason, stork wings were the appropriate picture in this case. “Then I lifted up my eyes and looked, and there were two women coming out with the wind in their wings; and they had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heavens” (Zechariah 5:9).

There are different wings for different birds and for different purposes. For us earthbound humans who wish we could escape, God says, “Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary” (Isaiah 40:31).

Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE ®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.