Bill and Coo Story

Item #5319

(January, 1997) Shhh – don’t disturb the bird watchers. Using this knothole as their bird blind, they are hoping for a glimpse of the rare ruby-throated Cairn warbler. Coo has a pair of acorn shell binoculars, and Bill has an Audubon birdcall. Their 10-cent coin from the Caribbean shows a bird. “Bill and coo” is an old-fashioned phrase that describes as affectionate couple – in Old English “bill” means to touch beaks, and “coo” is still commonly used to describe a gentle murmuring. Bill and Coo are avid bird watchers, but for now, they only have eyes for each other.

Dr. Thomas F. Clark