This poster shows a drawing by John Gould. We have added some folk lore stories about this cosmopolitan bird.
Imperial Eagle folk lore poster
This poster features a drawing by J.G. Keulemans, produced around 1870. I have added a folklore story about this eagle.
Eagles
Poster made of the drawings of John Gerhard Keulemans. A Belgian native working for the British Natural Museum. He became one of the defining nature artists of th 19th century.
The Masked Tytira possesses healing powers
Some birds are thought to possess supernatural powers. The sorokocho’, or Masked Tityra (Tityra semifasciata), is said to have specific healing abilities. For example, to cure warts somewhere on one’s body, that person must find a group of these Masked Tityra singing in a tree. By dancing enthusiastically along with the displaying birds, this will […]
The Little Owl in Folklore, some stories
In Greek mythology, the Little Owl was the messenger of Athene, the goddess of wisdom. It is possible that the ‘wise old owl’ idea stemmed from this. Because of the association with Athene, the bird was protected and large numbers nested in the Acropolis (Athene’s temple). The image of the bird was used for decoration […]
The Tree Sparrow and the selffish old woman, a tale of revenge
In a little house in a little old village in Japan lived a little old man and his little old wife. One morning when the old woman slid open the screens which form the sides of the Japanese houses, she saw on the doorstep a poor little sparrow. She took him up gently and fed […]
The blacksmith’s wife stole the Dove’s egg, and all were punished
A dove laid an egg in the hollow of a big tree in front of the blacksmith’s house. When she flew away from her nest in search of food, the blacksmith’s wife stole the egg. The dove came back to her nest and found the egg missing. The dove knew at once that the blacksmith’s […]
The selfish Eagle who lost a friend
It was not often that the tortoise and the eagle met, for the one spent his days in the clouds and the other in the under a bush. However, when the eagle heard what a warm-hearted little fellow the tortoise was, he went to pay a call on him. The tortoise family showed such pleasure […]
Birds and folklore from the lower Amazon
Birds of ill omen are present in plenty. Chief among these is the goat-sucker (Caprimulgus). The Takutu Indians have the greatest superstition with regard to this bird, and would not kill it for any price. They say it keeps communication with the dead, and brings messages to their conjurers. Even the common people on the […]
Why the Owl means mischief and the bat is a blood-sucker
Boku-boku, the Night-owl, married the bats’ sister, and often took his brothers with him at night to rob peoples’ houses. One night they came across a house where the people were drying fish on a babracote: just to frighten them, they all sang out, boku! boku! boku!, this made the occupants run out into the […]