Birds are common across tattoo styles thanks to their simplicity and symbolism. They’re also one of the most common animals seen in nature so people naturally gravitate towards them.
Going all the way back to the start of American traditional tattooing, birds were a popular image thanks to their history; sailors would often get swallows inked to visibly mark them as sailors. It was said that if they drowned, the swallows would carry their souls to heaven.
Nowadays, birds tend to represent more than sailing experience. The animal can symbolize freedom, courage, or even travel. Specific birds have their own symbolism as well, like the dove—which represents peace, faith, and purity—or the phoenix, which represents rebirth and second chances.
Pilar Zurita, an Artist at Atelier Eva, says that birds represent the different stages of life and the need for connection. “Primarily, people gravitate towards bird tattoos as they tend to symbolize the fleeting nature of life—a common allegory for transitional periods, the instinct to keep moving forward and flying in a close, familial group.”
“Bird tattoos are so popular as they tend to represent family and lineage connections. Traditionally in my Ukrainian culture, birds represent family,” says Koral Ladna, a Resident Artist at INKED NYC.
If you’re interested in a bird tattoo but need more inspiration, here are 27 different bird tattoos to get your imagination going.
Pilar Zurita is a Mad Rabbit Pro Team Member and is an Artist at Atelier Eva.
Koral Ladna is a Mad Rabbit Pro Team Member and a Resident Artist at Inked NYC.
Realistic Hummingbird Tattoo
Realistic hummingbird tattoos require a lot of shading, but they’re able to remain feeling light thanks to the delicate nature of the bird itself. Ask your artist to use gradient shading to add dimension to the design as well.
Hummingbird Tattoo With Varied Line Thicknesses
Hummingbirds have a very distinct shape (and beak!), so it’s easy to re-create it using fewer lines. This watercolor hummingbird design uses a variety of line thicknesses to create the shape of the bird overtop vivid hues.
Minimal Dove Tattoo
Birds are easily broken down into their basic elements for line art or abstract tattoos, and doves in particular are no different. If you like simple ink, choose a design that utilizes the smallest number of lines possible without losing the dove’s image.
Line Art Hummingbird Tattoo
If you prefer the most minimalist of minimal tattoos, try a line art hummingbird design. This tattoo seems to be created out of one single line, but manages to nail the major elements to translate the bird through the style.
Thin-Lined American Traditional Bird Tattoo
While traditional tattooing is known for its heavy lines, what really makes it that style is the arrangement of lines and the posing of the elements. This bird uses thin lines and no color but still manages to portray the American traditional style.
Vivid Geometric Bird Tattoo
Geometric tattoos don’t have to be done in all black ink! If you want to use color, try using colors to denote where the elements sit in terms of background and foreground. For a real pop, make the middle element the brightest color.
Double Swallow Tattoo
Swallows are the most common bird type in traditional tattoos, and they’re often seen in pairs. If you like the idea of double swallows, consider getting them in separate areas—like the hands or the ankles—where they can both stand alone and together.
Dove & Moon Tattoo
Doves tend to be a sign of peace, but they also hold a lot of femininity in their image. To play up that element of the bird, try adding other feminine elements, like the moon.
Colorful Kingfisher With a Solid Red Line Tattoo
This piece is a colorful Kingfisher bird, which Zurita connected to a chicory flower and other existing tattoos with the movement of a solid red line. “The piece is representative of a very special trip that the individual took to Costa Rica, where the bird resides,” Zurita
