The Caladrius is a snow-white bird that will refuse to look at anyone who is ill and dying. It is also said to be able to cure a sick individual by taking their illness onto itself. It then flies away dispersing the sickness, purging and curing itself in the process.

There are numerous theories as to where the myth of the Caladrius was started. One of them would be that it is merely the product of some overactive imaginations or that it was created purely as an analogy.

Another is that the Caladrius is based on a real bird. According to the descriptions of its being completely white with no black on it, it is possible that it was based on the dove, or possibly some sort of water bird such as the heron. Louis Reau believes it was most likely a white plover.

Caladrius existed in the Greek mythology under the name Dhalion.