Pre-Hispanic clay whistles frequently imitate the sounds of the figures they represent. This owl-like bird is no exception. The whistle contains two discrete hollow chambers: the rotund body produces a deep, mellow two-toned call when air is blown into a mouthpiece concealed in the bird's tail, while the smaller chamber, in the bird's head, emits a higher-pitched screech when a small pipe located on the back of its neck is blown.

The Maya sculpted and painted pottery of great variety during this period, and this well-preserved example retains much of the blue and yellow pigment applied after firing. It is believed that people used vessel flutes like this to communicate with spirits. The instrument's visual references to the mythological harpy eagle, its deerlike ears, and the five solar disks in the ruff around its face reflect a complex iconography, the meaning of which remains speculative. The blending of three-dimensional form with multiple sounds illustrates the exceptional creativity and ingenuity of Maya artists.