Table 1 Birds cited by informants in the semiarid region of Rio Grande do Norte State in northeastern Brazil as having medicinal and/or symbolic attributes: identification, categories and subcategories, uses and purposes (M- medicinal; S-symbolic), and number of citations per species

Tinamidae

Nothura boraquira Spix, 1825

White-bellied Nothura

Medicinal (cures), Symbolic (protection)

M- Administering an infusion made from the feathers of this bird will supposedly cure someone bitten by a snake. A soup made from the cooked meat of this bird can cure colds. S- Carrying a feather from this bird will protect a person from disagreeable events.

Carthartidae

Coragyps atratus Bechstein, 1793

Black Vulture

Medicinal (cures)

M- The liver of this bird is extracted and cooked and then reduced to a powder. If this powder is added to the drink or food of an alcoholic, without that person being aware of it, they will supposedly be cured of alcoholism. Ingesting fat from the bones of this vulture will cure aching bones.

Cariamidae

Cariama cristata Linnaeus, 1766

Red-legged Seriema

Medicinal (prevention) Symbolic (protection)

M- Using a necklace made from the feathers of this bird will help avoid serious reactions to snake bites. S- Using a necklace made from the feathers of this bird will protect the hunter and his dog from snakebites.

Columbidae

Columbina minuta Linnaeus, 1766

Plain-breasted Ground-Dove

Medicinal (cures)

M- Drying the foot this bird and eating it raw, or preparing an infusion with the feces of this animal, are believed to cure colds.

Columbina talpacoti Temminck, 1811

Ruddy Ground-Dove

Medicinal (cures)

M- Drying the foot this bird and eating it raw, or preparing an infusion with the feces of this animal, are believed to cure colds.

Columbina squammata Lesson, 1831

Scaled Dove

Medicinal (cures)

M- Drying the foot this bird and eating it raw, or preparing an infusion with the feces of this animal, are believed to cure colds.

Columbina picui Temminck, 1813

Picui Ground-Dove

Medicinal (cures) Symbolic (omens)

M- Drying the foot this bird and eating it raw, or preparing an infusion with the feces of this animal, are believed to cure colds.

S- The call of this bird is believed to predict disagreeable events.

Patagioenas picazuro Temminck, 1813

Picazuro Pigeon

Symbolic (omens)

S- It is believed that this bird attracts disagreeable events.

Leptotila verreauxi Bonaparte, 1855

White-tipped Dove

Medicinal (cures)

M- Eating the cooked meat of this bird will cure morning sickness during pregnancy.

Psittacidae

Aratinga cactorum Kuhl, 1820

Cactus Parakeet

Medicinal (cures)

M- Consuming a brew made from the meat of this bird is believed to facilitate the eruption of new teeth in children.

Trochilidae

Chlorostibon lucidus Shaw, 1812

Glittering-bellied Emerald

Symbolic

S- Eating the heart of this bird will make a hunter more successful.

Corvidae

Cyanocorax cyanopogon Wied, 1821

White-naped Jay

Medicinal (cures), Symbolic (protection)

M- If this bird is raised as a pet and fed with leftover food of a person afflicted with asthma or shortness of breath it will cure this illness. Applying an infusion made with the feathers of this bird will supposedly cure Chagas disease.

S- A bird kept as a pet in the house can help prevent disagreeable events, as it is believed to be capable of foretelling them.

Turdidae

Turdus rufiventris Vieillot, 1818

Rufous-bellied Thrush

Symbolic (climate)

S- The song of this bird is believed to foretell rainfall.

Mimidae

Mimus saturninus Lichtenstein, 1823

Chalk-browed Mockingbird

Medicinal (cures)

M- Eating the cooked meat of this bird will cure morning sickness during pregnancy.

Icteridae

Icterus jamacaii Gmelin, 1788

Campo Troupial

Symbolic (omens)

S- Keeping this bird as a pet can attract disagreeable events.

Fringillidae

Euphonia chlorotica Linnaeus, 1766

Purple-throated Euphonia

Symbolic (omens)

S- The song of this bird is believed to attract disagreeable events.