Hummingbirds, called huitzillin ("wee-TZEEL-een") in the Nahuatl language of the Aztecs, are one of the most recognizable and striking species in the avian world. While these pollinators are known in the Western imagination for their vibrant features, extreme metabolism, and diminutive size, the ancient peoples of Mesoamerica, particularly the Aztecs, identified these extraordinary birds with war, blood, and sacrifice.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original article at https://www.worldhistory.org/article/2809/hummingbirds-in-aztec-culture/.
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