Goofus bird
A backwards-flying bird from lumberjack tall tales.
The Goofus bird is a mythical creature from North American lumberjack folklore, known for its peculiar habit of flying backwards. It is also called the Filla-ma-loo bird or the Flu-fly bird. This fearsome critter appears in tall tales, stories told as if factual despite containing unbelievable elements.
- field
- Folklore
- nationality
- North American
- known_for
- Flying backwards, building its nest upside down, and being a fearsome critter of lumberjack folklore
Lore & Background
The Goofus bird flies backwards because it does not care where it is going, only where it has been. It builds its nest upside down. Its appearance is conspicuous: a turkey-like head, long green neck with silver scales, a black right wing, and a pink left wing.
Reader's Guide
The Goofus bird is significant as an example of a fearsome critter, part of the tall-tale tradition of North American lumberjack folklore. It represents a type of fantastical beast said to inhabit the frontier wilderness. The term 'Goofus' may be a possible origin of the slang word 'doofus,' meaning a person prone to foolishness or stupidity, perhaps influenced by the German word 'doof' (stupid). A person likened to a Goofus bird is described as low in intellectual curiosity and indifferent to their forward direction.
Did You Know?
- The Goofus bird is also known as the Filla-ma-loo bird or the Flu-fly bird.
- It flies backwards because it does not care where it is going, only where it has been.
- It builds its nest upside down.
- The word 'Goofus' may be a possible origin of the slang word 'doofus.'
More in Fearsome critters 1-24
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