Alicanto
Encyclopedia
The Alicanto or Allicanto is a mythological bird
of the desert of Atacama, pertaining to Chilean mythology
.
says that the alicanto's wings shine during the night with beautiful, metallic colors, and their eyes emit strange lights; making a luminous flight some would not project shade on the desert.
This bird brings luck to any miner
who sees it. Alicantos live in small caves between hills containing mineral
s, and feed on gold
and silver
.
If the lucky miner follows an alicanto without being caught, they can find silver or gold. But, if the alicanto discovers them, the bird will guide the greedy miner off a cliff, causing them to fall to their death.
Alicanto should not be confused with the Alicante
, a fictional Mexican snake that drinks mother's milk and impregnates women, or uses the human stomach as a living place.
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
of the desert of Atacama, pertaining to Chilean mythology
Chilean mythology
The Chilean mythology, is the mythology and beliefs of the Folklore of Chile.-Description:The Chilean mythology is an aggregate of myths and legends from the beliefs of Chile's indigenous groups ; and others of European origin, mainly of the Spanish colonization of Chile.The variety of sources of...
.
Legend
The legendLegend
A legend is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude...
says that the alicanto's wings shine during the night with beautiful, metallic colors, and their eyes emit strange lights; making a luminous flight some would not project shade on the desert.
This bird brings luck to any miner
Miner
A miner is a person whose work or business is to extract ore or minerals from the earth. Mining is one of the most dangerous trades in the world. In some countries miners lack social guarantees and in case of injury may be left to cope without assistance....
who sees it. Alicantos live in small caves between hills containing mineral
Mineral
A mineral is a naturally occurring solid chemical substance formed through biogeochemical processes, having characteristic chemical composition, highly ordered atomic structure, and specific physical properties. By comparison, a rock is an aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids and does not...
s, and feed on gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
and silver
Silver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
.
If the lucky miner follows an alicanto without being caught, they can find silver or gold. But, if the alicanto discovers them, the bird will guide the greedy miner off a cliff, causing them to fall to their death.
Alicanto should not be confused with the Alicante
Alicante (mythology)
The Alicante is a fictional Mexican snake that drinks mother's milk and impregnates women, or uses the human stomach as a living place....
, a fictional Mexican snake that drinks mother's milk and impregnates women, or uses the human stomach as a living place.