I don't know why there is a difference between Northern Italy, and especially Lombardy, the Veneto and Friuli, and North America where the German Mennonite and Amish communities brought the tradition about the coldest days in the year. I also don't know whether other countries have this tradition. However, this is the story of how the blackbird turned from white into black. The so-called days of the hen blackbird are, according to tradition in Northern Italy, the last three days of January (29, 30 and 31). According to tradition they are the coldest three days of the year and are called the Days of the Hen Blackbird. The name derives from a legend according to which, a hen blackbird and her nestlings were originally white, but to shelter from the cold they took refuge in a chimney, from which emerged on 1 February, all black because of the soot. From that day all the blackbirds were black. According to a more elaborate version of the legend a blackbird, a hen blackbird and their three nestlings came to city at the end of the summer and settled their shelter on a tall tree in a courtyard. Later on, in wintertime, they found a new place under some eaves to shelter from the snow that in that year was particularly heavy. One day the blackbird decided to find a new and milder shelter for his family. Meanwhile the snow kept coming down. The hen blackbird, to protect her chicks from the cold moved the nest to a nearby roof, where a chimney was giving off some warm. The cold lasted three days. And three days the blackbird stayed away. When he came back he almost didn't recognize his wife and the chicks: they all had turned to black for the smoke coming out from the chimney. On the first day of February all the family stepped out from their nest. Also the blackbird was black from the soot. Since then all the blackbirds were born black. As with all legends, there is a kernel of truth, because in the Roman calendar the month of January was only 29 days long, probably, over the years it turned into 31 . Again according to legend, if the days of the hen blackbird are cold, the spring will be beautiful if they are warmthe spring will arrive late. Groundhog Day is a holiday celebrated on February 2 in the United States and Canada. According to folklore, if it is cloudy when a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day, it will leave the burrow, signifying that winter will soon end. If on the other hand, it is sunny, the groundhog will supposedly 'see its shadow' and retreat back into its burrow, and winter will continue for six more weeks. Modern customs of the holiday involve celebrations where early morning festivals are held to watch the groundhog emerging from its burrow. In southeastern Pennsylvania, Groundhog Lodges (Grundsow Lodges) celebrate the holiday with 'fersommlinge', social events in which food is served, speeches are made, and one or more g'spiel (plays or skits) are performed for entertainment. The Pennsylvania German dialect is the only language spoken at the event, and those who speak English pay a penalty, usually in the form of a nickel, dime or quarter, per word spoken, put into a bowl in the center of the table. The holiday, which began as a Pennsylvania German custom in southeastern and central Pennsylvania in the 18th and 19th centuries, has its origins in ancient European weather lore, wherein a badger or sacred bear is the prognosticator as opposed to a groundhog. The holiday also bears some similarities to the medieval Catholic holiday of Candlemas. It also bears similarities to the Pagan festival of Imbolc, the seasonal turning point of the Celtic calendar, which is celebrated on February 1 and also involves weather prognostication. Thank you for your kind comments.