Magpie

Magpies are a type of bird. In folklore they are generally considered in the same vein as ravens, blue jays, eagles, falcons, owls, roadrunners, turkeys, crows, grouses, and chickadees. Vogelin, E. W. (1972). "Magpie", in Leach, M. (ed) Funk & Wagnalls Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology and Legend. 3rd ed. pp.664
== Beliefs ==
Magpies are clan animals amongst the Hopi and other Native American tribes in the southwest of the United States. Even as a clan animal, the link between these humans and magpies is slight at best. 
The magpie was said to have been adopted into the Hopi tribe in their early history when they were still wandering and happened to come across him. 
Magpies appear in a number of myths of Pueblo tribes. In the beliefs of the Keres tribe, Spider Man sends the Magpie to cover the rising sun with a wing to make the sun shine on one of two sisters who are engaged in a contest, preventing it from shining on the other sister first. The Taos tribe has Magpie-Tail Boy as a mythical figure who does many miraculous deeds. The Tewa tribe has a magpie help people cross a river by having its tail serve as a bridge. Amongst the Pueblo peoples in general, the East direction is associated with magpies, grey wolves, and the colour white. 
According to some tribes from British Columbia and non-coastal parts of the northwest of the United States, Magpies could act like humans during the mythical age, but have since lost this ability. 
While magpie myths are generally rare amongst other Native American peoples, many use magpie feathers in ceremonial outfits, with the Yokuts people of south-central California using magpie feathers to make tall dance headdresses, along with crow feathers at the base. 
In Brittany and other parts of Europe, magpies are considered birds of bad omensSpence, L. (1920). An Encyclopædia of Occultism. 2 ed. pg. 264. If a Basvanal (tailor who acts as a matchmaker) saw a magpie while on route to make a proposal, they would immediately return home and give up on the proposal at that time. It was also believed that a number of older witches had their demonic familiars take the form of magpies, which were considered the symbol of chatter. There was a belief, propagated by a Mr. Berbiguier, that magpies were a type of imp or sprite. de Plancy, J. C., (1863). Dictionnaire Infernal. 6ed. pg.539
== References ==
Category:Funk & Wagnalls Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology and Legend
Category:Animals
Category:Dictionnaire Infernal
Category:An Encyclopædia of Occultism