Bird Tattoo

A bird tattoo always means something sublime. A desire for the boundless expanses of heaven, dreaminess, a tendency to daydream, a sense of flight, and weightlessness. In most cultures, the bird is strongly associated with freedom and divine will.

It is worth noting that the opinion that these are exclusively female tattoos is erroneous. Despite the fact that representatives of the fair sex often choose birds as body drawings. Many men also tend to desire to depict a symbol of flight and freedom on their bodies.

The history of the bird tattoo

Of course, the tattoo of a bird is primarily associated with the air element. In some cultures, birds mark the souls of the deceased who go to heaven. A long time ago, there was an opinion that it was the bird that carried dead souls to heaven.

Ancient mythology represents the bird to some extent as a scout, especially for predatory individuals: Called to look out for ill-wishers and evil spirits, to signal people about possible danger. It is from here that the meaning of the phrase “the bird brought on its tail” originates. It was a source of information and news.

The meaning of a bird tattoo may also be related to the desire to acquire the necessary qualities. So, earlier they depicted a man with a bird’s head in the hope of gaining spirituality and immortality. In many countries, crows and vultures were harbingers of troubles, mainly related to epidemics and diseases.

To subdue the elements, and it’s not just about the element of air. The bird was a participant in the creation of the world as a whole.

In the question of what a bird tattoo means, it is important to take into account the mystical aspect. Among the Greeks, there was an opinion about the availability of higher wisdom to the lords of heaven.

Celtic culture is marked by the worship of birds. They were considered divine creatures. The attitude of Christians to the bird is also important, because, according to the holy scriptures, the white dove brought the news of the Savior’s birth. Therefore, for some, the meaning of the bird tattoo also acquires a religious meaning.

What does the bird tattoo mean?

The most popular birds that people have recently been trying to depict as body drawings are the pigeon, raven, falcon, swallow, flamingo, owl, phoenix, etc. What a bird tattoo means depends on the specific individual. Its symbolic role and cultural subtext, as well as the style of execution of the image:

Pigeon – almost always has an exclusively positive meaning. Protects the owner from evil spirits, bad intentions, means peace, freedom, bright feelings. (white pigeon is a bird meaning a symbol of peace);
The swan is the strongest associations with this bird: love, devotion, loyalty to your soulmate, nobility, beauty;
Falcon, hawk – it is not difficult to understand what a bird tattoo means in this case: predatory birds symbolize courage, bravery, lack of fear of circumstances and enemies;
Flamingo is an expression of the dreaminess of nature, the inability to resist the harsh reality. The owner of such a tattoo is endowed with a tender, vulnerable soul;
Peacock is a truly “royal” bird, characterized by beauty, means luxury, majesty;
A swallow is to some extent a talisman for good luck. It means warmth, hope, good news, happiness. (often such a bird tattoo is small. Unlike many, it will look advantageous even in small sizes and restrained colors);
Eagle – images with these birds are often truly masculine tattoos, symbolizing power, greatness, foresight, perseverance, courage;
Owl – means wisdom, power, subtle mind. (often tattoo is also associated with the peculiarities of lifestyle, because owls are nocturnal birds);
Raven, crow – This bird has many contradictory meanings. Symbolizing longevity on the one hand, and commitment to the dark side on the other.

More details about the meaning of the bird tattoo

The meaning also largely depends on how exactly the birds are depicted. So, flying birds tattoos symbolize freedom, but, for example, a raven depicted next to a skull and a cross will carry a completely different meaning – adherence to everything gloomy, dark magic, Gothic.

It is worth noting that fabulous, mythical birds have been gaining great popularity lately. For example, many people prefer to depict a fire bird on the body, picking up pictures of a bird tattoo or ordering sketches from professional craftsmen. This fairy tale character symbolizes luck, wealth, luxury, kindness.

The fantastic Phoenix bird is a character with the deepest meaning. It symbolizes rebirth, fortitude and a struggle in which the owner will certainly win.

Here are only the most popular tattoos in the form of birds. When choosing an image, be sure to take into account not only internal feelings and wishes but also preferences in style, place of application, color solutions.

Styles and places for tattoos

Places for Bird Tattoos

Tattoos in the form of birds can be depicted on almost any part of the body. Due to the huge number of possible options. In order to decide where to get a tattoo, it is enough to choose which feathered animal will be depicted and what its dimensions are.

Small tattoos on the wrists look very advantageous – as a rule, they are depicted in black and white. Tattoos of flying birds are often located on the neck. This choice is more often inherent in women. In addition, recently we can observe a tendency to depict small birds behind the ear. Girls prefer this option due to the invisibility of the image, only close people will know about the presence of tattoos. If you need a large color tattoo, it is better to give preference to large areas of the body. (for example, back, hip, forearm.)

Styles for Bird Tattoos

As for styles, there are practically no restrictions in this case. You can choose anyone suitable for a specific sketch. It is worth noting that the price of a bird tattoo depends not only on the size of the image but also on the style of execution – keep this in mind. In many cases, birds are applied not only in connection with the deeply embedded meaning of the image – tattoos are also aesthetic in nature.

For example, removing a tattoo that no longer meets the needs is not the only solution. You can cover the old image with a bright bird.

Representatives of the fair sex also prefer to apply birds in the form of tattoos on stretch marks. This allows you to reliably hide skin defects, and the bird feathers carefully drawn by the master perfectly “lie down” on the striae, making them invisible. It is also possible to get a tattoo on scars (on scars after cesarean). practice shows that feathered ones are one of the most popular options for closing the seam. Regardless of what you choose – small bird tattoos or one large and three-dimensional image, it is important to approach the choice of the master correctly. He is able to turn even a hackneyed idea into a real masterpiece, adding a lot of interesting details.