Many Native Americans believe animals are messengers from the spirit world and these are the messages they bring:

Alligator
It is a challenger. It warns of danger. Become defensive and alert to possible attack by someone or something. The alligator is considered a bad power.

Ant
Represents a super strength, intelligence,psychic abilities, telephathic communication, sharp thinking and planning Ant medicine is the strategy of patience and stamina. Ant people are planners and are content to see their dreams being built a little at a time. Ant medicine show's a trust in the Universe.

Antelope
Serves as a messenger and forewarns us of human behavior. Antelope medicine teaches action and the knowledge of lifes circle. Knowing of death, antelopes can truly live. Action is the key and essence of living.

Armadillo
Armadillo wears it's armor on it's back. It's boundaries of safty are a part of it's total being.What a gift it is to set your boundaries so that harmful words of intentions just roll off.It may be time for you to define your space.

Badger
A good sign meaning protection, but can also warn of danger when you are traveling in a vehicle or walking. He is courageous, tenacious, defensive,and aggressive. Badger may be signaling a time when you can use your abilities to push ahead in life.

Bat
A symbol of rebirth. It symbolizes the need for a ritualistic death of some way of life that no longer suits your new growth pattern. If you resist your destiny, it may become a long, drawn out or painful death. The universe is always asking you to grow and become your future.

Bear
Always a good sign. He represents wisdom, insight, introspection, protection and healing.Bear seeks the sweetness of truth by hibernating to digest the years experiences. To accomplish goals and dreams, we must learn the art of introspection.

Beaver
Beaver is a good power but can warn that confusion and conflict are forthcomming. He is industrious, hardworking, intelligent, but also selfish. He is determined to finish his own task. He builds his home with many exits to teach us not to elimanate our alternatives, or we dam the flow of experience in our lives.

Bee
Is a messenger with news about sex. If you see a bee fly close by or in your house then you know what is on the person's mind who came to visit. Yellow jackets, hornets, wasps and similar types of bugs are bad signs and signal that a challenge or nuisance is up ahead.

Bluejay / Stellar Jay
Have bad power. they warn us about the kind of people we will soon see. Bluejays gossip and are noisy, arrogant, prideful and selfish. They steal, lie and cheat. They are lazy and take from others for their own purposes and desires.

Bobcat / Panther
Are good signs.To see one means you are being stalked, physically or spiritually by an enemy. On the other hand, bobcat and panther are very good hunters and protectors.

Buffalo / Bison
A good sign, a strong power, and a special messenger of strength and survival to the plains indians. Crow indians consider bison to be sacred, symbolizing high spirituality, wisdom and wealth.

Butterfly
Is a very spiritual bug and represents the presents of of good spirits. Butterflys signal change, metamorphosis, balance, harmony, grace, peace, beauty and spirituality. It is a good sign. It is the mind and the ability to know how and when to change.

Buzzard or Vulture
Are bad signs. They are messengers who warn us of interuptions or problems forthcoming.

Chickadee
Warn us when other people are gossiping about us. Our elders teach us that the little birds are messengers from the spirit world. Some of our elders say they are actually our ancestors coming to visit. Their songs are good medicine and make people happy.

Cockroach
A bad sign. It warns that sickness, desease, or even undesirable and unpleasant people will be coming to your house. It is dirty and bothersome, yet it teaches tenacious survival.

Coyote
One of the most ancient mythic symbols for most native american tribes. He is full of magic, special powers and teachings. He is the master trickster who tricks himself. We learn from the lessons that coyote gives us about the mistakes and/or accomplishments he has made in life.

Crane or Egret
Is a peacemaker and fisherman. He is a good luck sign while you are fishing, or during conflict. He is graceful, tactful and direct.

Cricket
A bad sign. The presents of a cricket means that bad prayers or bad wishes are being made Against you. As a result, we typically try to catch it, burn it, and pray against it.

Crow
Is always a good sign. Crow means good luck, a sign of protection, and a messenger of wealth. He is the keeper of all sacred law and all sacred texts.He is an omen of change. Crow merges light and darkness, Seeing both inner and outer reality. Crow teaches you to pause and reflect on how you see the laws of humanity in relation to the laws of the great spirit. Your personal integrity will be your guide.

Deer
Are good powers and can be messengers in many different ways. They can be our eyes and ears if we acquire their power. They can tell us what is ahead, help us see into the future via dreams and meditation, and remind us that we should try to live lives that are balanced and graceful. Deer teach us to see the power of gentleness, to touch the hearts and minds of the wounded beings who are trying to keep us from the Great Spirit.

Dog
Dog is a guardian who teaches innate loyalty. Give warning signals of approaching danger. If a person carries dog medicine, he or she is usually serving others of humanity in some way. Dog embodies the loving gentelness of best friend and the half wild protector energy of territorial imperative.

Dolphin
A good sign meaning good luck or protection is coming. Dolphin is the keeper of the sacred breath of life, and teaches us how to release emotions through dolphin breath. Imitate dolphin and ride the waves of laughter, spreading joy in the world. Breath and experience the breath so freely given.

Dragonfly
Dragonfly is the essence of the winds of change, the messages of wisdom and enlightenment, and the communications from the elemental world. This elemental world is made up of the tiny spirits of plants,and the elements air, fire and water. This world is full of nature spirits. Dragonfly medicine always beckons you to seek out the parts of your habits which you need to change.

Eagle
Eagles are always very special and good signs. They represent protection, wealth, wisdom, foresight, strength and spirituality. The eagle carries our prayers directly to the Great Creator.

Elk
A strong protector of women. The message of the elk is a good sign similar to deer. Elk medicine teaches that pacing yourself will increase your stamina.

Flickerbird
A good sign and a good protector. They bring happiness, good luck and healing.

Fly and Blowfly
Are bad signs. They are messengers of jealousy, can warn of foul weather forthcoming, and they bring sickness and disease. They are considered a pestilence.

Fox
Is a messenger who represents pride, regality and loyalty. He has the ability to melt into one's surrounderings and be unnoticed while observing the activities of others. You would be wise to obserive the acts of others rather than their words at this time.

Frog
A good sign. Frog is doctor and healer,seer, and fortune teller. The frog is a messenger of rain,and the power of the frog can bring rain and water if one knows how to us it's power. Frog speaks of new life and harmony through it's rain song.

Garter Snake
With different colored stripes such as yellow, green, or red, are messengers of jealousy. If you see one, beware of the next person you see or talk to. That person may be negative, antagonistic, or dishonest.

Gopher
Is a bad sign but a good animal. Some Indian tribes believe gopher is a messenger of death by digging a hole in the ground near a house.

Goose
Geese are a good sign. They bring us messages about the seasons changing. They also serve as reminders that we need to get our life in order, become more organized, and be more cooperative.

Grasshopper
Can warn us of droughts and problems with the weather. For example: too many Grasshoppers in one area means a drought is coming, and hot, dry weather.

Grouse
Associated with a spiral which is the sacred symbol of birth and personal rebirth and personal power. Grouse medicine asks you to analyze the way you move through your world. Your challenge is to learn how to harmonize your dance with Mother Earth's cycles.

Hawk
Hawk is akin to Mercury, the messenger of the gods. Hawk medicine teaches you to be observant, to look at your surroundings. Observe the obvious in everything that you do. Life is sending you signals.

Horse
Horse was the first animal medicine of civilization. Today we measure the capacity of engines with the term "horsepower", a reminder of the days when Horse was an honored and highly prized partner with humanity. Compassion, caring, teaching, loving, and sharing your gifts, talents, and abilities are the gateways to power.

Hummingbird
A very good sign. She is a good luck messenger. She takes our prayers to the Great Creator. The Hummingbird has the power to travel long distances under great odds and obstacles. She is smart and very spiritual. Hummingbird medincine opens the heart. Without an open heart, you can never taste the nectar and pure bliss of life.

Lizard
Serve as omens. They can talk to you in dreams and bring you messages. Small Lizards protect children and babies. They warn adults if the baby is sick or in danger. The elders say that if you see a Lizard in the house near the baby, don't kill it. Lizard is the medicine of dreamers and may be telling you to pay attention to your dreams.

Lynx
Is the knower of secrets. From the Lynx we learn to listen to your higher self. Be still and pay attention to the revelations you receive either in the form of mental pictures or through a high singing voice in your ear. Mother Earth may be signaling you in the form of omens.

Magpie
A good sign. He is a messenger and tells us the road up ahead is clear of danger while we are traveling. He is a real friend to humans, and can provide guidance. He is cunning, crafty, and a survivor, so he can also give us good advice. He represents intelligence.

Mink
Is a good sign and a good power. . . sometimes a symbol of wealth, good luck, and good health. He represents good behavior because he is good-natured, healthy, and playful.

Mole/Shrew
Considered bad powers and bad signs. They are vicious and vindictive little creatures who will stop at nothing in order to get what they want.

Moose
Self-esteem is the medicine of Moose because it represents the power of recognizing that wisdom has been used in a situation. Creation constantly brings forth new ideas and further creation. Moose understands the balance between giving orders to get things done and having a willingness to do things themselves.

Moth
Moths are messengers from the spirit world, telling us that a ghost is around. If a moth lands on your shoulder, ear, or head and keeps following you, it is a messenger from a ghost. A good ghost will give you a warm feeling; a bad ghost will feel cold and eerie.

Mountain Lion
Mountain Lion medicine involves lessons on the use of the power in leadership. It is the ability to lead without insisting that others folow. You will learn without insisting that others follow. You will learn how to balance power, intention, physical strength, and grace . . to balance body, mind, and spirit.

Mouse
Mouse medicine means to scrutinize. It is good medicine to see up close. It is good medicine to pay attention to detail, but it is bad medicine to chew every little thing to pieces. The gift is organization, methodology, and categorizing facts.

Muskrat
A good sign. He is considered sacred. He is industrious and a critical thinker, and represents wealth.

Opossum
Opossum medicine uses a great deal of strategy. Instead of fighting, the supreme strategy of diversion is employed by playing dead. Opossum teaches you to rely upon your instincts for the best way out of a tight corner. Also, he teaches you to expect the unexpected.

Otter
A good sign. She represents wealth, playfulness, and happiness. She also brings good luck and good health. This joyful little creature is adventuresome and assumes that all other creatures are friendly . . until proven otherwise. This teaches humans to create a space for others to enter our lives without preconceptions or suspicions.

Owl
The owl is considered a bad sign illustrating deception and bad power by most Native tribes.It is a messenger of evil, of sickness, or of a fatal accident. It is also considered a sign of death. Owls hunt their prey at night, and you cannot hear an owl flying so it takes advantage of it's prey.

Osprey or Fish Hawk
This is a very good bird and power, but a very bad sign. It means you should beware of a potentially dangerous and lethal accident. One should always heed their warning and look carefully for possible immediate danger.

Panther/Bobcat
Are good signs.To see one means you are being stalked, physically or spiritually by an enemy. On the other hand, Panther and Bobcat are very good hunters and protectors.

Porcupine
A good sign and usually brings messages about the weather or about hunting. Porcupine has many Special qualities, and a very powerfull medicine: The power of faith and trust. Your task is to find the pathway that is most beneficial for you and that uses your greatest talents to further the plan.

Quail
Are a good sign. Quail symbolically communicate that a friendly person is comming.

Rabbit
Rabbit is the fear caller. Rabbit medicine people are so afraid of tragedy, illness, disaster, and "being taken", That they call those very fears to them to teach them lessons. The lesson is: what you resist will persist. Learn to stop talking about horrable things happening and get rid of "what if " from your vocabulary.

Racoon
A good sign. He is a good protector as well as being intelligent, cunning, clean, and very helpful.

Raven
It is sacred to honor Raven, the bringer of magic. Raven medicine can give you the courage to enter the darkness of the unknown. If a Raven appears, you are about to experience a change in consciousness. This may involve walking inside the Great Mystery on another path at the edge of time. An awakening may result from the process.

Robin
Brings happiness, good health, and love to families. Robin is a proud bird, clean, and well dressed. She is a good reminder of virtues worth emulating and a good role model for humans.

Seagull
Is a survivor. He can go long periods of time without food and survive under the worst conditions. He represents stamina, perseverance, and cunning. But he can also be mischievous, selfish, and quarrelsome.

Shark
Are bad signs and warn of danger. If a large school of sharks start coming to shore, it is a sign that an earth quake, tidal wave or hurricane is coming.

Shrew / Mole
Considered bad powers and bad signs. They are vicious and vindictive little creatures who will stop at nothing to get what they want.

Skunk
A bad sign and a bad power. A skunk is usually a sign that evil is around you and that every effort should be made to pray against it. The strips down his back acts as a warning. There is no need to bully, aggravate, torment, or overpower other beings when your sense of "self" is intact.

Snake
The power of snake medicine is the power of creation. It is the knowledge that all things are equal in creation, and that those things which might be experenced as poison can be eaten, ingested, integrated, transmuted if one has the proper state of mind.

Spider
Spiders are messengers and are symbols for the infinite possibilities of creation. Her eight legs represent the four winds of change and the four directions on the medicine wheel. The most important message of spider is that you are an infinite being who will continue to weave the patterns of life and living throughout time. Do not fail to see the expansiveness of the eternal plan.

Squirrel
Is always prepared. The gathering power of squirrel medicine is a great gift. It teaches you how to gather and store your energy for times of need. It is a wise person who prepares for the future. It may be that you are being told to honor your future by readying yourself for the change.

Swallow
Tells us when spring is coming and what the other elements will be like. Birds are considered messengers from the spirit world. Some of our elders say they are actually our ancestors coming to visit. Their songs are good medicine and make people happy.

Swan
Swan medicine teaches us to learn to surrender to the grace of the rhythm of the universe, and slip from our psysical bodies into the dreamtime. It teaches us to be at one with all planes of consciousiness, and to trust in Great Spirit's protection.

Turkey
Is a good sign, but it's character is arrogant, colorful, sneaky, quick-minded, and tricky.Turkey's can warn of people's personality. If you happen to see a turkey just before a visitor comes, it is an indication that your visitor is arrogant, nervous, fickle in decision-making, and unreliable.

Turtle
A good sign and a very good power. The Turtle is considered very sacred to most Native Americans. It is a healer and protector. It can grant you long life, wisdom, and good health. Never eat Turtle. It is the personification of goddess energy, and the Eternal Mother from which our lives evolve.

Vulture or Buzzard
Are bad signs. They are messengers that warn us of interuptions or problems forthcoming.

Weasel
A good sign. This animal is cunning, playful, smart, swift, and very courageous. He is a good friend, protector and adviser. He is considered good luck. Weasel medicine has keen powers of observation. He hears what is really being said; his eyes see beneath the surface of the situation to know the many ramifications of the event.

Whale
A sign of wealth and prosperity. It is considered a good sign to see one out in the ocean, near the coast. Whales carry the history of Mother Earth. Whale medicine teaches us the sounds and frequencies that balance our emotional bodies and heal our psysical forms. Whale signals a time of finding your origins; of seeing your overall destiny.

Wolf
A good sign, a protector, a good hunter, wise, cunning, intelligent, strong, gregarious, courageous, and yet mysterious. Native Americans historically hold high regard for wolves. Wolf is the pathfinder, the forerunner of new ideas who returns to the clan to teach and share wisdom. Wolf medicine empowers the teacher within us all to come forth and aid the children of earth in understanding the Great Mystery and life. Wolf could also be telling you to seek out lonly places that will allow you to see your teachers within.

Woodpecker
It is a good sign. They are symbols of wealth, good luck, happiness and healing. If you hear or see a woodpecker, pecking on a tree near your house, clap your hands three times, make a wish, and thank him for the message and the gift. He will usually bring you good luck- - - a sign that money or a gift is coming.

Wren
Our elders teach us that the Great Creator really loves little birds. The blackheaded wren we call snow bird. It tells us when it is going to snow and from what direction it will come. They are messengers from the spirit world. Some of our elders say they are actually our ancestors coming to visit. Their songs are good medicine and make people happy.