Bird Poop Superstition

“My Mom always said bird poop is good luck.  One time fishing off a dock in Eureka (I was about 12) there were a lot of seagulls around.  I received a big splash on my head.  I was so disgusted and grossed out that I started crying.  My Mom laughed and insisted it’s very good luck to have a bird poop on you.  She helped me wipe off my head with a tissue.   Well I don’t remember catching a fish that day, but at least I didn’t break a leg, so who can say my luck isn’t good?”

As you can see, although grossed out by the superstition, she seems to really believe that having a bird poop on you is good luck.  She thinks also it could be a superstition adults tell kids in such situations to make them feel better, although they might not be necessarily believe it themselves.

I’d agree with my informant, I think that adults probably use this superstition to make unfortunate kids feel better about a gross situation.  This teaches children to find the good in bad situations, teaching healthy optimism.  This superstition has an emphasis on how people should always try to have a good attitude.  I also thought the informant’s take on good luck was interesting, emphasizing we should be happy with what we have.  Sometimes having good luck means nothing bad happens.  This reminds me of the proverb, “No news is good news.”