Sarimanok

The sarimanok is a legendary bird of the Maranao people of Mindanao. It is a main motif in Maranao art. The name joins sari, which means assorted, and manok, which once meant any bird and now means chicken. So it means a bird of many colors.

Carvers show it as a fowl with bright wings and a feathered tail. It holds a fish in its beak or claws. The head has scroll, leaf and spiral designs. Tradition says the bird is never shown alone. It appears with flags and other standards, and it may sit on top of the umbrella of a sultan or leader.

Wikipedia says the legend comes from a totem bird, Itotoro, which speaks to the spirit world through its twin, Inikadowa. A later Islamic story tells of a celestial rooster whose crow will mark the Day of Resurrection. National Artist Abdulmari Asia Imao used the bird in his work, which helped to spread it. Today it is also a brand symbol. It was the mascot of ABS-CBN from 1993 to 2000, and it is on the seal of Far Eastern University.