The hungry but empathetic bird.

The bird in the story was modeled after the Bittern. They're part of the heron family, with many species living in different parts of the world. Their usual habitats are reed beds and other wetlands.

A Bittern doesn’t carry spiritual meaning like many of the other characters in the story. What he does represent is all of us who are in survival mode. We often get so caught up in our daily lives, challenges, and stresses that we lose ourselves and forget what’s truly important—our soul. We forget to nourish it. We lose our inner peace. We have to remember to open our eyes and see the good and the beauty that still exists in the world. It is there—we just sometimes forget.

When the little dragonfly encounters the bird, he reminds him: “There is more to life than just eating or being eaten.”

I think we all have the potential to be any—or all—of the characters.