Belted Kingfisher

Belted Kingfisher (Ceryle alcyon), Ā-CHALALAC-TLI

”It is named achalalactli because it sings thus: cha, chacha, chuchu, chala chala chala . It is the size of a [shorebird]. But this bird does not live in the brackish lagoon; rather it lives in the fresh water. It frequents the crags. Also it does not settle upon the water but always goes to alight upon the tops of willows, on treetops. And when it wishes to feed, from there it descends, suddenly dives into the water, it takes what it hunts, perhaps a sh, perhaps a frog. And when it has gone to take it, then it calmly goes to the treetop there to eat it ….” (FC, p. 38).

Audio recording by Liza Vekony. From the Macauley Library ML436910561

Cf. page 60 in The Aztec Fascination with Birds monograph.

References Cited
Quoted material from the Florentine Codex (FC): Reprinted from Florentine Codex: General History of the Things of New Spain, Book 11, Earthly Things¸ by Fray Bernardino de Sahagún, translated by Arthur J.O. Anderson, and Charles E. Dibble with permission from School for American Research, Santa Fe, New Mexico. Copyright 1981.