SOLVED. Fantasy about attracting birds back to a town [s]

[Ed]

I read this book in the early to mid-'80s. (I'd purchased it at a used-book store, so it may have been written in the '70s.) For some reason, I recall the word "vogel," perhaps in the title. I remember thinking the title was heavy-handed, almost spoilery if you knew a little German. The best I can recall, the story takes place in a medieval kind of town/fantasy setting. The town is plagued by/infested with gargoyles (?). The only way to get rid of the pests is to attract birds back to the town; their song will break the spell under which the town is suffering. I believe the protagonist is a monk or novice of the abbey that has the empty bell tower, and he's tasked with having a new bell forged (?). Most of my book searches turn up authors with the surname "Vogel," but that's a dead end. Thanks for the help!

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Worldcat might help, since you can search by words in the title. Here are results of a search with Vogel in the title, book, fiction, language German, year of pub. between 1950-1989.

http://www.worldcat.org/search?q=ti%3...

That search can be narrowed down further by choosing juvenile or non-juvenile.

[Ed]

Lobstergirl wrote: "Worldcat might help, since you can search by words in the title. Here are results of a search with Vogel in the title, book, fiction, language German, year of pub. between 1950-1989.

http://www.w..."

I'll give it a spin, thanks!

[Kris]

Unlikely but I'll mention it just in case - Bridge of Birds: A Novel of an Ancient China That Never Was by Barry Hughart?

Ed, is the story for children, teens or adults?

[Ed]

Kris wrote: "Unlikely but I'll mention it just in case - Bridge of Birds: A Novel of an Ancient China That Never Was by Barry Hughart?

Ed, is the story for children, teens or adults?"

Hi, Kris. Thanks for trying, but that's not the book. As for the audience, I'd say adults. It was your standard paperback novel in the sci-fi/fantasy section of a bookstore. Even through there may have been a German word in the title, I don't think it was an English translation of a foreign novel. Again, thanks for taking a stab at it!

[Peggy]

Is it The Wicked Enchantment by Margot Benary-Isbert? It was originally written in German, and the story sounds similar (although it was a girl protagonist, not a boy).

[Kris]

Nice find, Peggy!

[Ed]

Peggy wrote: "Is it The Wicked Enchantment by Margot Benary-Isbert? It was originally written in German, and the story sounds similar (although it was a girl protagonist, not a boy)."

EUREKA! I've never been so happy to be wrong in so many ways! This is exactly the book I was looking for! Thank you, Peggy!