Birds are a recurring motif in "a white heron." explain the significance of birds (both birds in general, and the white heron specifically) in this story.

The birds:  They represent the respect that Sylvia has for nature, she knows its value is worth more than money.

The white heron:. The damage that society was doing to nature.

Man vs Nature

It can also symbolize many things, depending on what you think the theme of the story is

Explanation:

In a literary piece, a motif is a recurrent image, idea, or symbol that develops or explains a theme, while a theme is a central idea or message.

The story is about a young girl whose innocence is exposed to temptation from the outside world, when her developing interest in the opposite sex is used to seduce her into betraying the natural world to which she belongs.

it's like watching a fable, it's not really about the animals but rather it has a meaning that is understood by us and that is implicit, not explicitly said. implicit ideas are common and are used in almost all works of art, from writing to painting to sculpting.

the group received an extra pound of butter for christmas.

the annex was delighted to hear that we'll all be receiving an extra quarter pound of butter for christmas.