Explores the living spiritual tradition surrounding birds in Native American culture • Pairs scholarly research with more than 200 firsthand accounts of bird signs from traditional Native Americans and their descendants • Examines the legends, wisdom, and powers of the birds known as the gatekeepers of the four directions—Eagle, Hawk, Crow, and Owl • Provides many examples of bird sign interpretations and human-bird communication that can be applied in your own encounters with birds Birds are our strongest allies in the natural world. Revered in Native American spirituality and shamanic traditions around the world, birds are known as teachers, guardians, role models, counselors, healers, clowns, peacemakers, and meteorologists. They carry messages and warnings from loved ones and the spirit world, report deaths and injuries, and channel divine intelligence to answer our questions. Some of their “signs” are so subtle that one could discount them as subjective, but others are dramatic enough to strain even a skeptic’s definition of coincidence. Pairing scholarly research with more than 200 firsthand accounts of bird encounters from traditional Native Americans and their descendants, Evan Pritchard explores the living spiritual tradition surrounding birds in Native American culture. He examines in depth the birds known as the gatekeepers of the four directions--Eagle in the North, Hawk in the East, Crow in the South, and Owl in the West--including their roles in legends and the use of their feathers in shamanic rituals. He reveals how the eagle can be a direct messenger of the Creator, why crows gather in “Crow Councils,” and how shamans have the ability to travel inside of birds, even after death. Expanding his study to the wisdom and gifts of birds beyond the four gatekeepers, such as hummingbirds, seagulls, and the mythical thunderbird, he provides numerous examples of everyday bird sign interpretations that can be applied in your own encounters with birds as well as ways we can help protect birds and encourage them to communicate with us.

Sacred Bird lives a fulfilled and happy life among the Blood Tribe as a mother of three, wife to a loving husband, and caretaker of her Elders. One spring day, as Sacred Bird works to complete her chores with her young daughter’s help, the two are suddenly and heartlessly abducted by men from a different tribe. Thus begins a period of distress for Sacred Bird as she struggles to live among the tribe who stole her and her daughter from their people. Forced to work tirelessly, Sacred Bird is subjected to abuse from the tribe, made worse by her lack of knowledge of their language. Her daughter, Sacred Feather Woman, is thankfully treated better and acts as Sacred Bird’s one tether between her happy old life and frightening new one. Sacred Feather Woman keeps her mother’s spirits up by being her inquisitive and kind self, becoming the only light that shines for Sacred Bird during these dark days. When Sacred Bird realizes a way to escape her captivity, she jumps at planning and preparing for the long trek back home. Mother and daughter begin their journey home to their family, gaining help and companions from a kind couple along the way. As the group works to leave the past behind, the journey home proves to be difficult, haunting, and tragic.

"This unusual book looks at the quetzal from many points of view: as the ancient Aztec god Quetzalcoatl; as a source of valuable feathers throughout Mesoamerican history; as a rainforest bird of striking beauty and intriguing habits; and as an endangered animal today....The writing weaves the many strands of myth, lore, art, and natural history into a coherent narrative....Drawings add their own sense of wonder and mystery. Well researched and handsomely presented, this book offers a many-faceted study of the quetzal."--Booklist. Bibliography, index, maps.

"In this elegant narrative, celebrated naturalist Ted Floyd guides you through a year of becoming a better birder. Choosing 200 top avian species to teach key lessons, Floyd introduces a new, holistic approach to bird watching and shows how to use the tools of the 21st century to appreciate the natural world we inhabit together whether city, country or suburbs." -- From book jacket.

Will the 'Alala ever return to the wild? A bird sacred to Hawaiians and a member of the raven family, the 'Alala today survives only in captivity. How the species once flourished, how it has been driven to near-extinction, and how people struggled to save it, is the gripping story of Seeking the Sacred Raven. For years, author Mark Jerome Walters has tracked the sacred bird's role in Hawaiian culture and the indomitable 'Alala's sad decline. Trekking through Hawaii's rain forests high on Mauna Loa, talking with biologists, landowners, and government officials, he has woven an epic tale of missed opportunities and the best intentions gone awry. A species that once numbered in the thousands is now limited to about 50 captive birds. Seeking the Sacred Raven is as much about people and culture as it is about failed policies. From the ancient Polynesians who first settled the island, to Captain Cook in the 18th century, to would-be saviors of the 'Alala in the 1990s, individuals with conflicting passions and priorities have shaped Hawaii and the fate of this dwindling cloud-forest species. Walters captures brilliantly the internecine politics among private landowners, scientists, environmental groups, individuals and government agencies battling over the bird's habitat and protection. It's only one species, only one bird, but Seeking the Sacred Raven illustrates vividly the many dimensions of species loss, for the human as well as non-human world.

Long ago, when the birds had no songs, only man could sing. When the Great Spirit walked on the Earth, he noticed a great silence. He realized the birds had no songs. He devised a challenge and told the birds who ever could fly the highest, would receive a very beautiful song. But not all the birds were honest. In his desire to win the game, the small hermit thrush jumped on the back of the great eagle. The eagle flew higher than any of the birds, but when he came back to land, the Great Spirit said the hermit thrush had gone the highest since he was on eagle’s back. Hermit Thrush was awarded a beautiful song, but in his shame for not being honest, he flew into the deep woods. To this day, you may hear the lovely song of the hermit thrush, but you may not ever see him.

Witch. What a powerful word it is. It attracts, it repels, it frightens, it fascinates. It offers hope to those who do not know where to turn. Modern witches -- following the traditions of our earliest ancestors -- are the shamans and healers of the 21st century. They practice the ancient art of sacred magic in the modern world. The Wicca Handbook is both a tutorial for new witches and an exceptionally well-organized reference book for experienced practitioners. It guides us through the first steps in becoming a witch, explores many Wiccan traditions, initiations, and magical practices. The Wiccan year -- the eight Sabbats -- along with many of its rituals and ceremonies are examined. You will learn about spell casting, sex magic, and the techniques used to raise power. One of the most outstanding features of this book is Eileen Holland's extensive correspondence tables which cover virtually every facet of witchcraft: creativity, fertility, healing, love, magic, finances, psychic protection, astral projection, wisdom, heavenly bodies, animals, colors, metals, rocks and gemstones, the alphabet, and numbers. With so much information, this is bound to become a dog-eared favorite in any witch's library.