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Previously unissued photo dated 18/12/12 of four blackbirds pictured at the Glasgow Museum Resource Centre, representing the Four Collie Birds during a Twelve Days of Christmas themed tour organised by the museum. People often sing of calling birds but it is probably more likely that it is a collie bird. This term derives from the word colliery and collie meaning black like coal. So the collie birds in the song referred to blackbirds, of which various types could be eaten. (Photo by Danny Lawson/PA Images via Getty Images)