The Caladrius is a Roman mythological bird that lives in a king's house and cleanses people of diseases. If it looks into the face of an ill person, it means that they will live. However, if it looks away, the sickly person's illness has progressed too far, and it thus marks their certain death. To cure the person, the Caladrius looks at them, and drawing the sickness into itself, the bird flies up toward the sun, where the disease is burned up and destroyed. The Caladrius happens to be unclean and is not to be eaten.
A Christian metaphor for the Caladrius is that it symbolizes Jesus, with being pure (all white) and takes away men's sins, mirroring the way the Caladrius draws the sickness into itself and ascends upwards into the sun to destroy the disease(s).
"A mysterious bird that can tell the severity of one's illness as well as heal sickness itself. A Caladrius drew illnesses into itself with its beak and flew away, healing the sick. But if the sickness was too far advanced, the bird would refuse to even look at the sufferer. It is thought to be a plover or wagtail, but the only definite detail is that it is pure white."
—Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey background
Shin Megami Tensei IV[]
"A mysterious bird that can tell the severity of one's illness as well as heal sickness itself. A Caladrius draws illnesses into itself with its beak and flies away, healing the sick. But if the sickness is too far advanced, the bird will refuse even to look at the sufferer. It is thought to be a plover or wagtail, but the only certain detail is that it is pure white."
—Shin Megami Tensei IV background
Caladrius can be found in Shinjuku. It can teach Flynn the Me Patra, Media and Posumudi skills through its Demon Whisper.
Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse[]
"A mysterious bird that can tell the severity of one's illness as well as heal sickness itself. A Caladrius draws illnesses into itself with its beak and flies away, healing the sick. But if the sickness is too far advanced, the bird will refuse even to look at the sufferer. It is thought to be a plover or wagtail, but the only certain detail is that it is pure white."
—Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse background
Caladrius appears early on within the Kinshicho south exit shopping district. It is a potential source of the spell Dia at the start of the game.
