![]() ![]() This makes an owl-themed cuckoo clock an excellent, thoughtful gift for a loved one. Mostly nocturnal animals, these decidedly sage-looking creatures, are a common motif in many carved cuckoo clocks and is oftentimes depicted in a pair, lovingly entwined. Often times the variety mounted atop a traditionally carved cuckoo clock is that of the common barn owl or great horned owl - which are medium to large owls with large heads and characteristic heart-shaped faces. There are many variety of owl that live in the Black Forest. Other horned animals featured in traditional cuckoo clocks are the Ibex and the Reindeer. Often times the carved mounted stag head is a part of a motif of symbolic imagery including but not limited to the hunting horn, the belt powder pouch and two crossed rifles - all symbols of the classic 'hunt'. ![]() Reminiscent of the mounted trophies which have become synonymous with the classical, rustic style of old mansions and castles world-wide, the elk head with it's symmetrical antlers, belongs fittingly to a class of cuckoo clocks known as the 'Hunter' style carved cuckoo clock. It is these intricate and ornate antlers which lend themselves beautifully to the design of a traditional carved cuckoo clock. Capable of growing to stand over six feet tall at the shoulder and sometimes weighing over a ton, the European Elk is a majestic creature, whose antlers can spread over five feet from tip to tip. ![]() The elk is a species of the deer animal family, known around the world by other names such as a moose, stag or hind. Many of the traditional cuckoo birds are hand-painted in an assembly line fashion with the job of 'cuckoo bird painter' going to a specific artist. At Cuckoo Collections we stock a range of modern and traditional cuckoo clocks - all of which have a distinct cuckoo bird either made of wood or die-cast plastic. The design of the cuckoo bird changes from manufacturer to manufacturer. Your browser does not support the audio element.Īnd here is the mechanical sound from a 1-day or 8-day cuckoo clock:Īnd then the sound from a battery powered (quartz) cuckoo clock: Listen to the real cuckoo bird call in the wild: Listen below and you can be see which you prefer: In modern battery powered (quartz) cuckoo clocks the sound is generally a recorded bird sound over the sound of a babbling brook, which while more realistic, some may argue does not have the same distinct charm of the traditional cuckoo clock chime. This call is replicated in all traditional 1-day and 8-day movement cuckoo clocks, with a series of paper bellows which, when the mechanism strikes the hour, are move like an accordion, to create the distinct bird call sound. ![]() With species found all around the world, the cuckoo bird - and star of the show in all traditional and modern cuckoo clocks - has a distinct call (or song) which makes it one of the most recognisable bird calls in the world. It is a shy bird, much more often heard than seen, which makes it an excellent candidate for a cuckoo clock since it can hide behind it's door for at least 59 minutes of every hour! The cuckoo bird, while being one of the most well known birds is, in truth, far less common to see in the wild than what it's reputation would have you believe. We'll begin with the most famous of them all - the Black Forest Cuckoo bird. So let us begin and explore the wild world of the animals of the Black Forest cuckoo clocks. These animals have shared this forest with the people of the Black Forest for millennia and their likeness - whether as the small yet famous cuckoo bird or the towering elk or curious brown bear - has been hand carved by artisans of the region for centuries out of the very same Black Forest wood from which these animals abound. More interestingly this ancient forest is home to a range of animals and plants, all of which feature heavily in the designs of the traditional cuckoo clocks. Yet the Black Forest is a place of great serenity and home to some of the most beautiful natural landscapes in Germany. The forest is said to have acquired it's name from the fact that it's tall and densely populated pine trees block so much light from the forest floor. Stretching west to the Rhine River and south into the Alpine foothills in Switzerland, it is famous for being the birthplace of the traditional cuckoo clock. The Black Forest region is located in Baden-Württemberg, a state in southwestern Germany. Up close with the wild animals of the Black Forest cuckoo clocks ![]()
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