Birds in mythology

thumb|200px|Heraldic representation thumb|200px|Seal of Bouchard de Marly (1225) with the coat of arms of the lords of Montmorency, or a cross gules, quarterly four alerions azure thumb|100px|three alerions on Lorraine's arms

one of the sacred and highly sanctified birds of Hindu mythology

The auguraculum (: auguracula) was a roofless temple oriented to the cardinal points, in which the priests of ancient Rome practiced augury and ornithomancy. The priest observer was positioned at the center of the temple, in a tent or a hut, and watched portions of the sky from which came the birds, which were marked out by stones placed along the perimeter of the temple. From this observation, the priest was believed to be able to predict the future.

A spiriduș in Romanian mythology is said to be a "demon incarnate", or a domestic spirit, oftentimes taking the form of an avian familiar, such as hens, crows, or hunting birds. The purpose of these familiars once they're summoned, is to act as messengers or intermediaries between the master of the home in which the spiriduș was born, and the devil. The master can use the spiriduș to request from the devil any mortal desire, in return for their soul in the afterlife.