What are Birds Good For?

Birds to me always symbolize peace and holiness. I don't know, maybe it's the memory of God sending a dove after Jesus' baptism or the raven and dove in the story of Noah. Both show God's presence and that is the view I continue to have when encountering these creatures in Literature. Obviously they can be used to set the tone (birds caw-ing in Harry Potter before Buckbeak "dies") or be used for transportation (the Eagles in Lord of the Rings). Overall, these birds find a way to manipulate the environment to produce effects that can be obvious or subtle.