The Black-cheeked Woodpecker (Melanerpes pucherani) and Golden-olive Woodpecker (Colaptes rubiginosus) are called the tze’rej, a term that applies to a number of bigger woodpeckers. when these species cry “wek wek,†it is a a bad omen that something bad will soon happen, according to the Mopan Maya of Belize. Hull, K. & Fergus, R. AN […]
Category: Folklore
Bird stories, Pale-billed Woodpecker and Smoky Brown-woodpecker
When the pich, the Smoky Brown Woodpecker (Veniliornis fumigatus), cries thee times in a row, it is a sign that something bad is going to happen. While a home visitation is considered something of considerable joy for the Mopan and quite anticipated, the one exception is the visit of a salesperson. In fact, the Mopan […]
Bird stories, Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)
The Seri, an exclusive tribe inhabiting the desert-like island Tiburon, in the Gulf of California, ascribe the creation of the world, and of themselves in particular, to the Ancient of Pelicans, a mythical fowl of supernal wisdom and melodious song who first raised the earth above the primeval waters. Thus the Seri Indians naturally held […]
Bird stories, Brandts Cormorant (Phalacrocorax penicillatus)
Native dancers throughout California commonly blow bird bone whistles to accompany their movements. The shrill sound of the whistles was not appreciated by the 18th century Spanish explorer Pedro Fages, who encountered them among the Chumash. These people have been playing bird bone whistles for 3000 years, up to the present day. Archaeological examples include […]
Bird stories, Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus)
The Nage tribe of Indonesia believe the bapu spirits that reside atop the volcano Ebu Lobo assume the guise of a Brahminy Kite (jata) or a large, high-flying hawk (jata jawa) when searching for human victims, whom they characteristically kill in the form of spirit buffalo. The following fable is told by the Visayan tribe […]
Bird stories, Boat-tailed Grackle and Brown Jay
The call of the Boat-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus major) is said to indicate it will rain soon. The Mopan claim that the often seen pa’ap, or Brown Jay (Cyanocorax morio) can be useful for hunters since it cries out when it sees a game animal; however, it if cries too loudly, it can scare the game […]
Bird stories, Blue-headed Coucal (Centropus monachus)
The Tembo tribe of the Congo use parts of the Blue-headed Coucal as medicine. Its well-dried head serves as medicine for a women who has just given birth so that she can give much milk. For this, its head is suspended over the woman’s chest with a rope called Lubiku. Also, when it sings, people […]
Bird stories, Blue-black Grassquit and Blue-crowned Motmot
The Ch‘ol Maya believe the pich, identified by informants as variously the Melodious Blackbird (Dives dives) or Blue-black Grassquit (Volatinia jacarina), are said to sing to signal to a traveler that someone is ahead on the road. Hull, K. & Fergus, R. AN ETHNOORNITHOLOGICAL APPROACH TO HUMAN-BIRD RELATIONS AMONG THE MOPAN MAYA OF BELIZE. 2009. […]
Bird stories, Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)
The following fable is part of the Pawnee Indians legends. Kiki, the jay bird, was tahmahnawis for many, and this is the story of how he became so for S’doaks. S’doaks went to the lodge of Itswoot and he dwelt there many moons. Then it came time for him to get his totem, and this […]
Bird stories, Blackbird (Turdus merula)
In the neighbourhood of Brescia the last two days of January and the first of February are called the blackbird’s days, the story is that this bird, whose original colour was white, became black because one year these three days were so cold that she had to take refuge in a chimney. It is believed […]