Pig birds – birds that signal death
Pigs or owls are very intelligent and lovable birds. However, since ancient times in Vietnam they have been regarded as demons because pigs chirp at the gables, someone’s house is on the verge of death.
The pig owls make 7 sounds, death will be for men, 9 hours for women.
According to some rumors, when humans are on the verge of death, a characteristic odor will be released and pig birds with acute hearing detected and reported. Due to such a concept, when the sound of birds and pigs chirping long and loud in the night, always creates a feeling of horror.
Even the sound of birds and pigs in the night will get the whole village talking about the death that will happen to someone, and then people will compete against each other to guess young and old. Due to the belief that this bird is ominous, the pig bird is hated, hunted, and even killed.
Based on the above analysis, the question “are pig birds really scary?” has been denied by experts. Experts give more evidence to support this claim: “Pig birds are not only scary, but they are also useful for agriculture. According to the document, every year the gray-backed owl (Tyto alba ) can destroy 300 to 400 mice destroying crops “.
And Dr Vu The Khanh admits, however, that pigbird chirping is linked to the dead, but he also believes that it shouldn’t be “blamed” entirely by pig birds. “Because in fact, even if the pig does not call, there will still be a death. Pigs should only be treated as an alarm, as if the chicken is crowing, it is in the morning or even if the ants do not. do not fly out of the nest, it will still rain, not the dragonflies. Flying high, it is still sunny… ”, said Mr. Khanh.
So the cry of the pig is not a mystery, a spiritual color or just bring bad luck. However, “to believe or not to believe in something depends on each person’s conception. The belief of a pig announcing death is to be regarded as the belief that a guest bird warns that a house will come. visitors or animals around the world predict the results of Wold Cup football matches … ”, say experts.
Their favorite food is rats and some insects. When they are not able to hunt rats, they temporarily eat lizards and a few other birds. Owl-pigs are birds of prey, active at night, often living in pairs or alone and do not migrate.
This creature may appear slow, calm and mysterious, but they are true assassins, with the speed of a wind and fingernails sharp as knives. In the thick black darkness, his keen eyes did not miss a little mouse running hundreds of yards away.
The wild boar owl family is one of the two animal families of the owl tribe. Some species found in Vietnam are commonly referred to as porcine birds due to their pig vocalization. Pig owls are medium to large owls with large heads, strong paws and sharp claws. Their characteristic feature is a flat, plate-like face made of feathers. These feathers also have the effect of locating and amplifying sound when hunting.
The pig owl’s wing feathers are also specially designed not to ring in flight, which helps them hear better and avoid detection of prey. Pig owls have a gray to brown back, paler chest and stomach, and can be spotted
Wild boar owls are usually smaller, and the facial disc is not heart-shaped but is divided into 3 parts, the ears are covered with feathers. The pig owl is quite widely distributed, it can live in the desert, forest, temperate and tropical climates. Owl pigs are found everywhere except North America, the Sahara Desert, and parts of Asia.
In Vietnam, there are 3 species of porcine owl, including the gray-backed owl (Tyto alba stertens), the eastern boar owl (Phodilus badius saturatus) and the brown-backed owl (Tyto longimembris). The gray-backed owl and the brown-backed owl are classified as natural enemies of mice (the main food is rats) and are strictly prohibited from wild exploitation.
The wild boar owl is included in the Vietnam Red Book (Endangered Category T). It is a species of aesthetic and scientific value, it is a precious genetic source. Although the wild boar owl has a wide range, the number of individuals is rare and rare. It is currently not determined how many individuals exist in the wild.
Although the pig bird is a natural enemy, very valuable, but because of superstition, we discriminate against this bird. In Vietnamese slang, “pig bird” refers to bad people, specializing in stalking like owls and digging other people.
The word “pig bird” is also for people who do illegal business, smugglers. This unfair association makes the conservation of this animal even more difficult. In the world, he is considered a bird of unique beauty and is loved. They have very funny heart shaped faces. The smooth coat has many beautiful patterns.
Some pictures of pig birds – the bird “god of death” according to the old Vietnamese conception:
