There was a water-fowl called a Quasi and a land-fowl called a Chinanga. The Quasi made friends with the Chinanga, and said, ” Now we are brothers.” He came to see him and brought him a fish and said, ” When you come to visit me, you must do the same.” Now some one came […]
Category: Galliformes
Folklore Zimbabwe, Guineafowl and the little Fowl
A Guinea Fowl and a Fowl became friends ; the Guinea Fowl said, ” Now, we are brothers.” The Fowl went to visit the Guinea Fowl, and found a pot cooking on the fire. By and bye a friend came in and lifted the lid up. In the smoke the Guinea Fowl seemed to come […]
Bird stories, Grey Partidge (Perdix perdix)
Daedalus had a nephew named Perdix, whom he had taken when a boy to teach the trade of builder. But Perdix was a very apt learner and soon surpassed his master in the knowledge of many things. His eyes were ever open to see what was going on about him, and he learned the lore […]
Bird stories, Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)
The Seminoles have a story about the Turkey, who was once the king of the birds and flew high in the air like the eagle. He would swoop down on the council ground and bear away a man. Then people devised a plan to catch him. Four men were to roll four big balls along […]
Bird stories, Congo Peacock (Afropavo congensis)
The Congo peafowl was only discovered in 1936 in the rain forests of the eastern Congo and called Hokoe by the natives. The name is derived from its song, “Hokoe, hokoe, hokoe,” sung around 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. It is believed that this bird tells people to wake up or to return home from […]
Bird stories, Common Piping-guan (Pipile pipile)
The common piping-guan (yura pahua) is said to lead its chicks through patches of the herb known as pahua yuyu in the early morning. In this way, the chicks will bathe in the dew accumulated on the leaves of this Ventura notes that when the piping-guans plant; this, it is believed, will make them grow […]
Bird stories, the Plain and Black Chachalaca
In Mopan Maya folklore the call of the Black Chachalaca (Penelopina nigra) is said to indicate it will rain soon. In the Mayan writings, there frequently occur representations of a bird that was evidently used for sacrificial purposes. It is shown with erectile head feathers and a ring of circular marks about the eye,it probably […]
Bird stories, Black Guineafowl (Agelastes niger)
By the Mbuti tribe of the DR Congo, the Black Guineafowl is considered to have such power to cause an illness. Several animals are thought to be sources of evil. The type of disease and its graveness vary, depending on the animals eaten. The most powerful and dangerous ones are avoided for most of the […]
Bird stories, Black Curassow (Crax alector)
In the very beginning of things a trumpeter and a curassow decided upon a matrimonial alliance, but domestic troubles soon broke out, and there was no possibility of a reconciliation; it was thereupon decided to lay the case before the gods who live on the summit of Mount Duida. The wise gods ordered them to […]
Himalayan Quail (Ophrysia superciliosa)
[order] GALLIFORMES | [family] Phasianidae | [latin] Ophrysia superciliosa | [authority] Gray, 1846 | [UK] Himalayan Quail | [FR] | [DE] | [ES] | [NL] Himalaya Kwartel | [copyright picture] Birdlife Subspecies Genus Species subspecies Region Range Genus A single species from north-western India; possibly extinct. Physical charateristics Rather nondescript quail with red bill and […]