Ancient references to the “nue” originally referred to the scaly thrush, a bird known for its mournful nighttime call. Later, however, a monster said to have the head of a monkey, the body of a raccoon dog, the tail of a snake, and the limbs of a tiger was described as crying with the voice of a nue, and the name came to refer to that creature instead. (From “Illustrated Guide to Yōkai and Phantom Beasts”)