Birds of a Feather (1931 film)
| Birds of a Feather | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Burt Gillett |
| Produced by | Walt Disney |
| Animation by | David Hand |
| Color process | Black and white |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 8 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Birds of a Feather is a Silly Symphonies animated Disney short film. It was released on February 10, 1931, by Columbia Pictures.[1]
Contrary to popular belief, the cartoon actually fell into the public domain on 1 January 2026 because if you look closely, it has a 1930 copyright notice instead of 1931.[2]
Plot
Swans swim by, a peacock displays its plumage in glorious black-and-white, a passing duck jeers, lyrebirds play eachother's tails, assorted songbirds chirp, a woodpecker chases a caterpillar, and a chorus of owls croon. A chicken goes after worms while ignoring her brood until a hawk circles. When the hawk captures one chick, the swallows form an attack squadron.
Voice cast
- Florence Gill: Hen, assorted squawks and bird whistles
- Purv Pullen and Marion Darlington: Bird Whistles
- Toby Wing: Baby chicks
- The Rhythmettes (including Dorothy Compton, Beatrice Hagen, and Mary Moder): Hummingbirds and Brox Sister owls[1]
Comic adaptation
The Silly Symphony Sunday comic strip ran a three-month-long adaptation of Birds of a Feather from March 11 to June 17, 1934.[3]
Reception
Variety (April 15, 1931): "This subject suffers from too much similarity with previous cartoons of this and other series... This weakness makes it filler stuff for the intermediate programs and lesser spots only. It's a concoction of rhythmic gyration by various fowl".[4]
Home media
The short was released on December 4, 2001, on Walt Disney Treasures: Silly Symphonies - The Historic Musical Animated Classics.[5][1]
References
- ^ a b c Merritt, Russell; Kaufman, J. B. (2016). Walt Disney's Silly Symphonies: A Companion to the Classic Cartoon Series (2nd ed.). Glendale, CA: Disney Editions. pp. 86–87. ISBN 978-1-4847-5132-9.
- ^ "Title screen. 1930 copyright notice in bottom-right corner". Retrieved January 29, 2026.
- ^ Duvall, Earl; Taliaferro, Al; Osborne, Ted; De Maris, Merrill (2016). Silly Symphonies: The Complete Disney Classics, vol 1. San Diego: IDW Publishing. ISBN 978-1631405587.
- ^ "Talking Shorts". Variety: 20. April 15, 1931. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
- ^ "Silly Symphonies: The Historic Musical Animated Classics DVD Review". DVD Dizzy. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
External links