In
Irish mythology, the
Badb (
Old Irish, ) or
Badhbh (
Modern Irish, )—meaning "
crow"—is a
war goddess who takes the form of a crow, and is thus sometimes known as
Badb Catha ("battle crow"). She is known to cause fear and confusion among soldiers to move the tide of battle to her favoured side. Badb may also appear prior to a battle to foreshadow the extent of the carnage to come, or to predict the death of a notable person. She would sometimes do this through wailing cries, leading to comparisons with the
bean-sídhe (banshee).
