According to some popular beliefs, many animals are a symbol of misfortune or ill omen. They have a sixth sense that allows them to portend death, for example.

Many animals are particularly sensitive to death and behave differently when they portend the death of a person close to them. In Mexico there is a saying that says: "when the tecolote (owl) sings, the Indian dies". According to beliefs, listening to the croak of an owl or an owl is a bad omen.

Even cats and dogs, thanks to their sixth sense, can predict the death of a person close to them. Dogs have an olfactory ability that allows them to detect chemical changes in the bodies of humans who are about to die. Cats have a highly developed sixth sense and are able to sense a phenomenon before it occurs. And then there is the case of Oscar, the cat raised by the Steere House hospital in Providence in the United States, who just like a psychic, could hear when someone's time had come and to appear in the place a few hours before the patient died.

• The little owl and the owl are both birds of prey and nocturnal animals that look very similar but that do not belong to the same species. In fact, for non-experts in the sector it is very easy to confuse them and the belief that the owl is the female of the owl is absolutely false. First of all, little owls and owls are both birds that belong to the family of birds of prey with twilight habits, particularly active between sunset and sunrise. In common, among other things, they also have the habitat, the large wide eyes and the fact of being skilled predators. Despite this, little owl and owl belong to two different species: the owl in fact belongs to the genus Bubo while the little owl belongs to the Athene genus (the most common subspecies is Athene noctua that is "nocturnal Athens"). As for the physical aspect, the owl differs from the owl for the tufts on the head, except the snow owl which has no tufts and could therefore be easily mistaken for an owl. In general, birds were considered by the ancients the messengers of the will of the gods because they fly higher than men and therefore closer to the gods. According to some beliefs, the singing of an little owl or an owl announces the death of a family member. 

• Bats are unique mammals in many respects. Not only do they glide, but they also manage to fly in a prolonged and vigorous way. They hang upside down, anchoring themselves with the hooked fingers of their legs, to sleep, rest and even to give birth and breastfeed the babies. Using an echolocation system, the bats fly with their mouths open and their teeth bared, emitting ultrasound by means of a natural sonar in the shape of a leaf, spike or spear, located on the nose and mouth.In pre-Hispanic cultures, bats were creatures related to the world of darkness and death. This is why nowadays we think that if you see a bat flapping its wings against someone's window, after a few hours that same person will die.

• Horses are majestic creatures. With their strong and proud appearance, they are very fascinated animals, especially if they have a beautiful mane. Runs, jumps, swims, carries loads: it's the horse. In reality, however, he also loves relaxation and idleness. And he is very friendly to man. Because of its powerful musculature and fiery character it symbolizes the strength of the drive energy. And this is dangerous when it is free and moved by the senses, useful for spiritual realization when it is controlled and dosed. It is said that if, during a funeral march, a black horse constantly stares at a person, his death is imminent

• The Calandra is almost 20 cm long, easily recognizable for its powerful structure, with particularly long and wide wings. Other distinctive features are the fairly short and square tail, as well as the robust yellow beak, used to collect grains and various cereals, of which this species is greedy and which represent the main element of its diet far from the breeding season, when instead the Calandra it feeds mainly on insects. It is believed that if this particular bird nest in a house, this is a symbol of the fact that someone from the house will die very soon. According to a myth, if a Calandra fixes a sick person, they will return to health , while if he does not look at it, this means that the person will die shortly.

• Foxes are mammals characterized by a thick hair and tail. The relationship between foxes and humans is often conflicting: on the one hand it can happen that foxes ruin cultivated fields, on the other it is unfortunately known that fox fur is a sought after product in the clothing sector and that hunting for this animal is a sport loved in different countries. Popular beliefs say that if this animal crosses the path of a driver, from right to left, this is a sign of bad luck. According to popular belief, if a fox enters the house during the day and cannot get out, someone in the family may die.

• In the history of humanity, hens (and roosters) have been bred for various purposes: fighting competitions between roosters, religious, sporting or ornamental motifs (plumage) as well as the purpose of consuming meat, recipes with eggs, and not least also as a pet. According to popular belief, if someone sees a rooster "conversing" with a hen this means that in the following hours an unmarried woman will die; on the contrary, if you see two hens clucking with a rooster, then it means that both members of a couple will die. Then there is another belief that if a person hears a hen imitating the crowing of the cock, it means that death awaits her around the corner.