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What is the story of St. Francis of Assisi preaching to birds?

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Bonaventura Berlinghieri: St. Francis and Scenes from His Life — St. Francis of Assisi *St. Francis and Scenes from His Life*, tempera on panel by Bonaventura Berlinghieri, 1235; in the Church of San Francesco, Pescia, Italy.

The story of St. Francis of Assisi preaching to the birds is one of the most well-known accounts illustrating his deep spiritual connection to the natural world. St. Francis viewed all of nature as a mirror of God and referred to all creatures as his "brothers" and "sisters."

In these traditional accounts, St. Francis demonstrated his belief that God’s message was intended for all of creation by preaching to the birds. This narrative reflects his broader philosophy, which he also expressed in his famous "Canticle of the Creatures," where he praised God through elements of nature such as "Brother Sun," "Sister Moon," and the wind and water.1

Because of his profound reverence for the natural world and his habit of treating all living things with compassion, St. Francis is widely revered as the patron saint of animals and, as recognized by Pope John Paul II in 1979, the patron saint of ecology.2