auspic-, auspec-

(Latin: to look, to observe in order to make a prediction; to see omens; from auspex [genitive form auspicis] avi-, stem of avis, "bird" plus -spex, "observer", from specere)

exauspication
An unlucky beginning of something.
inauspicate
Ill-omened, inauspicious.
inauspicious
1. Suggesting that the future is not very promising or that success is unlikely; not favorable; boding ill; ill-omened; not auspicious.
2. Not conducive to success; unpromising; contrary to one's interests or welfare.
An indication of an inauspicious flight of birds.
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The augur is now reversing his previous auspicious interpretation of the birds in flight so that the situation is now inauspicious.

Bird Poops On President Bush During Rose Garden Press Conference

Was this an Example of an Inauspicious Moment?

An outdoor news conference in perfect spring weather, with birds chirping loudly in the magnolia trees, is not without its hazards.

As President Bush took a question Thursday (May 24, 2007) in the White House Rose Garden about scandals involving his Attorney General, he remarked, "I've got confidence in Al Gonzales doin' the job."

Simultaneously, a sparrow flew overhead and left a splash on the President's left sleeve, which Bush tried several times to wipe off.

Deputy White House Press Secretary promptly put the incident through the proper spin cycle, telling ABC News, "It was his lucky day... everyone knows that's a sign of good luck."

—Ann Compton, ABC News, May 24, 2007 at 03:15 PM

Obviously, the Press Secretary did not recognize the inauspiciousness of the moment!

Statements from blog writers

Since when is it good luck to have a bird fly over and take a crap on you? These people will lie about anything. Watching Bozo trying to wipe it off with his bare hand made me sick! Yuck!

I guess they'll have to set up a "bird-free zone" in the future to protect the President from signs and portents in such form.

Do we remember the space shuttle that disintegrated over Texas before the Iraqi war started? Believe in signs anyone?

inauspiciously
1. In an inauspicious manner; with a presage (foretelling) of evil.
2. Ill-omened; unfavorable possibilities.
inauspiciousness
The quality of being inauspicious; unluckiness.
unauspicious [inauspicious is the preferred spelling] (s) (adjective)
Not favorable, not successful: "Steve's unauspicious hopes indicated his pessimism about the undertaking."
unauspiciously [inauspiciously is the preferred spelling] (adverb)
Unfortunately, unfavorably: "After losing so much money, Roger decided that his success as a gambler had been unauspiciously determined."

Cross references of word families that are related directly, or indirectly, to: "divination, diviner; seer, soothsayer, prophecy, prophesy, prophet": augur-; fa-, fate; Fates in action; futur-; -mancy; omen; -phemia; sorc-, sorcery; vati-.

A cross reference of other word family units that are related directly, or indirectly, to: "chance, luck, fate": aleato-; cad-; fortu-; -mancy; serendipity; sorc-; temer-; tycho-.