Liver Birds

Pronounced Lie-ver rather than liver (as in the organ) these famous birds sit on top of the Liver Buildings at Liverpool's Pier Head.

There are two stories:

1. That the birds are tied down to prevent them from flying away. The legend has it that the city will fall if the birds leave.

2. The female bird (seen here) faces out to see waiting for sailor to come home from their journeys abroad. The male bird faces the city, waiting for the pubs to open!

The clock faces also happen to be the largest clock faces in Europe!

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Nice pictures.
What are the birds made out of? Have heard the term Liver Birds used (and I've seen that TV show), but up until now, I had no idea that is what they were.

I believe that they are a base metal with a veneer of bronze. Or so I've been told. They are 18 feet tall.

I guess they weigh a fair bit then. Must have been quite a task putting them into place.

dewmuw wrote:
Pronounced Lie-ver rather than liver (as in the organ) these famous birds sit on top of the Liver Buildings at Liverpool's Pier Head.

There are two stories:

1. That the birds are tied down to prevent them from flying away. The legend has it that the city will fall if the birds leave.

2. The female bird (seen here) faces out to see waiting for sailor to come home from their journeys abroad. The male bird faces the city, waiting for the pubs to open!

The clock faces also happen to be the largest clock faces in Europe!



The Liver bird is in fact meant to be a cormorant, which was used as a seal on the King's Charter 800 years ago when the city was created as a city. The seal was lost during the civil war, but was redrawn in the new incarnation.

The Liver bird came into regular use (Liverpool Football Club have it on their crest) when the Royal Liver Assurance Company erected two birds on the top of the Liver Buildings in 1911.

The Liver Birds was also a rather poor sitcom in the 70's by Carla Lane!

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quote
1. That the birds are tied down to prevent them from flying away. The legend has it that the city will fall if the birds leave.

unquote

ha ha ha ha

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that saying was for (and is for ) the birds (ravens) hopping around the grounds in the tower of london

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(but to do with matters which happened in the tower)

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so as the birds never go anywhere

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(DUPLICATE IMAGE)

and all because of stupid superstition

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or is that it (part of it)

Nice shots Damian, i never managed to get the liverbirds framed so nicely while i was in Liverpool... i like them

I thought that they were copper [or at least copper coated] hence the green [oxide] colour.

Beautiful shots Damian, and once again a wonderful story to go with it. It's an enjoyable way to learn of other places and cultures. Thanks for sharing

These remind me of living in Merseyside in the early '90s - I used to have a view of the Liver building from my front room across the Mersey.

Interesting story Damian! After hanging around up there for a length of time, I'd be inclined to face city waiting for the "Pub" to open too.
-Bruce

Thanks everyone.

Caimin - you must have lived in Wallasey then?

Marie, the building has two towers with clock faces so that could be the twin.

Thanks for all the kind comments and thanks for taking time to post.

Birkenhead - two minute walk from Hamiliton Square station.

Wonderful Pics but you managed to hit one of my pet peeves.. It's "The Liver Building" there is only one of them. (sorry)

Great pics.....

N

The Rome of the North! I was born and brought up in Birkenhead!

neil_r wrote:
Wonderful Pics but you managed to hit one of my pet peeves.. It's "The Liver Building" there is only one of them. (sorry)

Great pics.....

N

You are right there is only one. And if I was being pendantic I should have called it The Royal Liver Building.

Does this mean I've been mispronouncing "Lie-verpool"?

Okay, I won't quit my day job!