オスマン帝国の詩では、この鳥はしばしば「極楽鳥」と呼ばれている<ref name="divan"/><ref>''cf''. Andrews, Walter, Kalpakli, Mehmet, The Age of Beloveds, 2005, Duke University Press, pages:341–342.</ref>。パラディサス科の種に関する初期のヨーロッパの記述では、この鳥には翼や脚がなく、鳥は生涯空中にいるものと想定されていた。
ペルシャ文学におけるスーフィー作品の代表格であるニシャプールのファリードゥッディーン・アッタール(Attar of Nishapur)の寓話的名作『鳥の言葉(The Conference of the Birds)』では、フマ鳥が旅をすることを拒む弟子のように描かれている。なぜならそのように旅をすれば、飛んでいった相手に王権を与える特権が損なわれるからだ。
In
In [[Attar of Nishapur]]'s allegorical masterpiece ''[[The Conference of the Birds]]'', an eminent example of Sufi works in [[Persian literature]], the Huma bird is portrayed as a pupil that refuses to undertake a journey because such an undertaking would compromise the privilege of bestowing kingship on those whom it flew over. In Iranian literature, this kingship-bestowing function of the Huma bird is identified with pre-Islamic monarchs, and stands vis-a-vis ravens, which is a metaphor for Arabs.<ref>{{citation|last=Pourshariati|first=Parvaneh|title=Local Historiography in Early Medieval Iran and the Tārīkh-i Bayhaq|journal=Iranian Studies|volume=33|issue=1/2|year=<!--Winter-Spring-->2000|pages=133–164|doi=10.1080/00210860008701979}}, p. 151.</ref> The legend appears in non-Sufi art as well.<ref>''cf''. <!-- "Balwant Singh on A Terrace Overlooking a River"-->{{citation|last=Goswamy|first=B. N.|title=Nainsukh of Guler: A Great Indian Painter from a Small Hill-State|journal=Artibus Asiae|series=Supplementum|volume=41|year=1997|pages=5–304}}, p. 118.</ref>
The kingship-bestowing function of the Huma bird reappear in Indian stories of the [[Mughal empire|Mughal era]], in which the shadow (or the alighting) of the Huma bird on a person's head or shoulder were said to bestow (or foretell) kingship. Accordingly, the feathers decorating the turbans of kings were said to be plumage of the Huma bird.<ref name="schimmel">{{citation|last=Schimmel|first=Annemarie|last2=Attwood|first2=Corinne|