large as a turtle-dove, which they called tigmamanuquin, to which they attributed the name of Bathala, which, as above stated, was among them a name for divinity." Fr. Francisco Colin, Labor Evangelica (1663) "The Tagálogs adored now Tigmamanoquìn, which was a blue bird of the size of a turtledove..." Fr. San Antonio, Cronicas, (1738-44) Other omen birds of the Philippine archipelago There were myriads of species considered "omen birds" in ancient Philippines. Many of them share a characteristic: blue plumage. In Mindanao, a dove called a Limokon was similarly believed by the Mandaya, Bagobo, and Manobo to be an omen bird. A bird in Luzon was called balatiti or balantikis whose songs were listened to for signs and omens. Another, omen bird known among the hinterlands of the Tagalog region was the salaksak. Another kingfisher species was also called tigmamanukan. These birds were considered taboo to kill. See also Sarimanok References Philippine mythology Legendary birds