Sometimes an animal or a bird will mysteriously come into our life and begin to haunt our consciousness. The image of that animal becomes associated with our sense of who we are and where our values come from.

Certain species in the Americas have done this in particularly powerful ways: These include the wolf, the raven, coyote, the jaguar, the quetzal, and the eagle.

The hummingbird also is a common totem animal. Many people develop a mysterious bond with this tiny creature.