Why some experts say every gift in ’12 Days of Christmas’ is actually a bird

For most people, “The Twelve Days of Christmas” is a holiday song about increasingly chaotic gifts — a partridge, some hens, a few people dancing and, eventually, a full drumline.

But according to one long-running theory in the folklore world, the version we sing today may be far removed from the original.

Some historians believe that every single gift in the earliest form of the carol — yes, all twelve — was actually a bird.

It’s not the dominant interpretation, but it’s a surprisingly plausible one.

Early versions of the song from the late 1700s differ significantly from the modern lyrics, and several of the now-human gifts have roots in old bird nicknames, regional dialects or mistranscriptions over time.

Put those pieces together, and the carol starts to look less like a Christmas pageant and more like an ornithologist’s shopping list.

Here’s how the “all birds” theory breaks down — and why some researchers say every gift in the original carol had feathers.

A Partridge in a Pear Tree

A partridge is a small, round, European game bird. The pear tree was likely added to stabilize the meter — but the bird itself has been part of the carol since its earliest known printings.

Two Turtle Doves

Turtle doves are slender, soft-voiced birds symbolizing love and devotion. They were common gifts in romance poetry of the time.

Three French Hens

These refer to French breeds of domestic chickens, prized for quality meat and eggs — essentially a luxury poultry trio of the 18th century.

Four Colly Birds (Blackbirds)

Originally “colly birds,” meaning blackbirds (“colly” = coal-colored). The modern “calling birds” is the result of linguistic drift.

Five Golden Rings (Ring-necked pheasants)

This is the theory’s biggest twist: “golden rings” may refer to ring-necked pheasants, whose striking plumage includes golden bands. Several early sources support this reading, keeping the bird streak intact.

Six Geese-a-Laying

A classic barnyard bird, the goose provided eggs, meat and down. A laying goose represented ongoing abundance.

Seven Swans-a-Swimming

Swans were considered luxury birds reserved for nobility. Giving seven would have been a status symbol of the highest order.

Eight Maids-a-Milking (Moorhens)

“Milking maids” may originally have referenced “milking moorhens,” marsh birds whose chirping was nicknamed “milking.” These small, dark waterbirds were common across English wetlands.

Nine Ladies Dancing (Dancing plovers)

Plovers are lively shorebirds known for darting, zig-zagging movements that resemble dancing. The phrase “dancing plovers” appears in several old naturalist writings.

Ten Lords-a-Leaping (Lapwings)

Lapwings are wading birds famous for their tumbling, “leaping” flight displays. Their swooping patterns made “leaping lords” a fitting metaphor in older dialects.

Eleven Pipers Piping (Sandpipers)

Sandpipers produce a high-pitched “piping” call. Early field guides describe them as “pipers,” making this one of the more credible reinterpretations.

Twelve Drummers Drumming (Ruffed grouse)

The ruffed grouse creates a deep, rhythmic drumming sound by rapidly beating its wings. It’s one of the few birds whose natural behavior literally resembles drumming.