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 excite the birds to sing and move even more, thus causing one’s warts to disappear within a few weeks.
Ch‘ol say that there is a prohibition against killing a pegre (a Spanish or Spanicized term), or Masked Tityra (Tityra semifasciata). If you shoot one, they say you will get warts on your body as a punishment.
Kerry Hull and Rob Fergus. Ethno-ornithological Perspectives on the Ch’ol Maya. Reitaku Papers, vol. 17 pag 42-92, 2011
Hull, K. & Fergus, R. AN ETHNOORNITHOLOGICAL APPROACH TO HUMAN-BIRD RELATIONS AMONG THE MOPAN MAYA OF BELIZE. 2009.