--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I do rather like birds,’ Abdullah Unul…" description: "\"“I do rather like birds,’ Abdullah Unul says. ‘They’re busy, active little things. They make do. Have you ever thought, if Istanbul were to have an off..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ab/ian-mcdonald-14570_little-things_i-do-rather-like-birds-abdullah-unul-say_502979.jpg" --- # I do rather like birds,’ Abdullah Unul says. ‘They’re… ![“I do rather like birds,’ Abdullah Unul says. ‘They’re busy, active little things. They make do. Have you ever thought, if Istanbul were to have an official bird, what would it be? I bet you’d think stork straight away. Maybe a sparrow. Me, the official bird of Istanbul would have to be the…” quote by Ian McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ab/ian-mcdonald-14570_little-things_i-do-rather-like-birds-abdullah-unul-say_502979.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ab/ian-mcdonald-14570_little-things_i-do-rather-like-birds-abdullah-unul-say_502979.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ab/ian-mcdonald-14570_little-things_i-do-rather-like-birds-abdullah-unul-say_502979.jpg) > ““I do rather like birds,’ Abdullah Unul says. ‘They’re busy, active little things. They make do. Have you ever thought, if Istanbul were to have an official bird, what would it be? I bet you’d think stork straight away. Maybe a sparrow. Me, the official bird of Istanbul would have to be the seagull. What do you see dancing around the Ramazan lights, what’ s following the ships up and down the Bosphorus, what’s facing into the wind on the rocks down by the water side. The common or garden gull, that’s what. For all those reasons, the seagull for me is Istanbul, but mostly because it practises kleptoparasitism. You may not have heard of that. I’ll explain. It’s a behaviour when one animal takes prey from another that has the job of catching or killing it. In seagulls it’s letting some other bird do all the hard work of catching the fish or a bit of bread and then taking it off them as they’re about to eat it. It’s the reason they’re the success they are. So, I’ll have that Koran. Both parts. To be honest, I’d prefer cash, but I imagine there’s a market for that gadgetry you have out there in Fenerbahçe.”” [Ian McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcdonald/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The seagull, thriving through opportunistic behavior, symbolizes Istanbul’s lively, adaptable spirit, reflecting both survival and cultural vibrancy. **In simple terms:** Seagulls represent Istanbul’s lively, adaptable nature. Key Takeaway Embrace adaptability and resourcefulness. Themes culture adaptability survival Mood thoughtful observational Type literary cultural commentary When to use this quote - city planning - tourism - environmental education Key Concepts kleptoparasitism urban ecology Questions to Reflect On - How does opportunism shape a city’s identity? - What balance exists between adaptation and exploitation? A Different Perspective Relying on others can breed dependency and ethical concerns. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bird/) [Bird Istanbul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bird-istanbul-4278738/) [Birds Abdullah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/birds-abdullah-4278741/) [Istanbul Seagull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/istanbul-seagull-4278737/) [Little things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-things/) [Reasons Seagull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reasons-seagull-4278740/) [Seagull Istanbul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seagull-istanbul-4278739/) ## Related quotes > [I remember that the bass was turned up slightly more on the mix from last week, and I thought that was good - or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ronson/i-remember-that-the-bass-was-turned-up-slightly-more-on-the-mix-from/) [Mark Ronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ronson/) > [His beauty isnt't what makes me love him more with each day that passes by but his sense of humour, his sweetness, his laughter,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine/his-beauty-isnt-t-what-makes-me-love-him-more-with-each-day-that/) [Josephine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine/) > [Who can calculate the wounds inflicted, their depth and pain, by harsh and mean words spoken in anger? 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They make do. Have you ever thought, if Istanbul were to have an official bird, what would it be? I bet you’d think stork straight away. Maybe a sparrow. Me, the official bird of Istanbul would have to be the seagull. What do you see dancing around the Ramazan lights, what’ s following the ships up and down the Bosphorus, what’s facing into the wind on the rocks down by the water side. The common or garden gull, that’s what. For all those reasons, the seagull for me is Istanbul, but mostly because it practises kleptoparasitism. You may not have heard of that. I’ll explain. It’s a behaviour when one animal takes prey from another that has the job of catching or killing it. In seagulls it’s letting some other bird do all the hard work of catching the fish or a bit of bread and then taking it off them as they’re about to eat it. It’s the reason they’re the success they are. So, I’ll have that Koran. Both parts. 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