This story tells how the Raven came to birth. It is a Tahltan tribe story, an Indian tribe living in Britsh Columbia and Canada. A number of people were living together near the sea. Among them was a man, gifted with magic power, who did not live with his wife. He did not allow any […]
Category: Corvidae
Bird stories, Magpie (Pica pica) Part II
In Germany and the North witches often transform themselves into its shape, or use it as their steed. The peasants in Oldenburg consider the magpie to be so imbued with Satanic principles that if a cross be cut on the tree in which the bird has built, she will forsake her nest at once. When […]
Bird stories, Magpie (Pica pica) part I
For anglers in spring it is always unlucky to see single magpies ; hnt two may always be regarded as a favourable omen; and the reason is, that in cold and stormy weather one magpie alone leaves the nest in search of food, the other remaining sitting upon the eggs or the young ones ; […]
Bird stories, Carrion Crow (Corvus corone)
A Pawnee woman and her two cildren were in the woods. She was cutting boughs while her children were playing. The children were disobedient and wandered in to the woods. The woman started looking for her children. By the fresh water she saw a beaver and asked him if he saw her children. The beaver […]
Bird stories, Carrion Crow (Corvus corone)
There once was a very learned Bishop, who saw a fine large nest up in an elm-tree, and when he had climbed up he saw that it was full of young Crow-chicks. One of these chicks had such a winsome appearance and took him home to the Palace. In due time the Crow grew up, […]
Bird stories, Carrion Crow (Corvus corone)
In Norway crows are thought to go down to hell once every year, when they must appear before Satan and give him a tribute of feathers. The supreme war-goddess of the Gaels of Scotland, was Morrigu, the Red Woman or war goddess, who figures in the adventures of Cuchulain, and whose favorite disguise was to […]
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 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, American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)
In the tales of the New England tribes, the crow did damage to the corn, hardly an Indian would kill one, because it was their tradition that this bird had brought them their first grain and vegetables. Carrying a grain of corn in one ear and a bean in the other from the field of […]
Parental nepotism enhances survival of retained offspring in the Siberian jay
Siberian Jay (Perisoreus infaustus) Science Article 1 abstract The evolutionary payoff accruing to parents from breeding offspring could be an incentive for prolonged investments in the offspring. Enhanced survival for offspring as a result of such a prolonged parental investment would increase the value of remaining in the natal territory for the offspring. Here we […]