An ancient Mayan legend states that, if after the death of a loved one you see a hummingbird, It means it is a sign that the deceased made it to the other side and is okay. In other cultures, seeing this small bird means that someone is thinking about you. Whether you associate this little animal with any of these meanings or not, the truth is that the mysticism that surrounds it could even lead to extinction.
In some communities in Mexico, they use the corpses of hummingbirds as links for love rituals in which stuffed bodies are used to ‘tie’ the desired person. We don’t have to go too far, María del Coro Arizmendi, an academic at the Faculty of Higher Studies (FES) Iztacala, UNAM, told UNAM Global in 2019 the following anecdote:
“Many years ago there was a man dedicated to sellingr hummingbirds dead near the Copilco metro. One day I went to see him and he told me: they are for men to attract love, they should carry it in their shirt pocket and then all the women will be crazy about it. I told my students: Do you really think that with a dead bird in the bag a girl will love you?”
But this is not the worst, because according to the academic, these types of rituals have transcended borders to the United States, where once when inspecting a small package at customs they discovered that it contained hummingbirds dead that could be ordered on a website.
Hummingbird carcasses, a protected species, at 250 pesos
The use of the species for ritual purposes dates back to pre-Columbian times due to the close relationship that these birds had with pre-Hispanic traditions in Mesoamerica, details UNAM Global.
And, despite the fact that this is a species protected by the authorities, in markets like Sonora in Mexico City they continue to be sold. hummingbirds dead for witchcraft. According to a report in Chilango magazine, anyone who requests it can buyits there; Although they are not exhibited, just ask at one of the stalls: $350 pesos live, $200 dead.
The ritual is simple, says a “witch” in the National Geographic report, “we put them face to face (a hummingbird male and a female) ideally with a man’s and a woman’s underwear. We then placed them in a small red bag, filled the bag with pure honey and placed it in the shrine with candles; we do it like this”.
However, there is no evidence to support the use of endangered species for magical rituals. Still, witchcraft threatens hummingbirds and its survival in Latin America, this, together with the destruction and fragmentation of its habitat, is the main obstacle for the species in Mexico.
What has been done to protect the hummingbird
In Mexico there are more than 55 species of hummingbirds, according to the National Commission for the Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity (CONABIO). And thanks to rituals such as “mooring” at least 39 of these species are at risk of extinction, according to data from the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
As a measure to protect these pollinators, important for the environment, the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) establishes that andl hummingbird It is a protected species since the 90s.
In addition to this, the authorities dedicated a large space in Baja California to serve as a breeding sanctuary for these birds.
But this is not the only thing, some members of civil society have taken on the task of doing something about it to conserve the hummingbirds between us for longer. This is the case of “Adopt a hummingbird”, a movement created in 2021 that seeks to make information available to everyone, supported by experts on these birds, to be able to care for them.
Furthermore, through “Hummingbird Space”they give advice on
- What plants to put
- What land do you prefer?
- What fertilizer
- How to remove pests without harming pollinators
- Responsible use of a drinking fountain step by step.
- Digital knowledge guide hummingbird to help a hummingbird adult or baby in trouble.
If you are interested in helping to conserve this pollinator, the cost of the consultation is 100 pesos