Bird Tattoo

Birds, real and mythical, have long been among the most popular of all the tattoo designs and symbols for centuries. All over the world, birds have been chosen to represent the widest range of human emotions and every country and culture has stories and myths were birds play central roles, so it’s no wonder they are a central feature in many tattoos. Bird tattoos can have countless meanings depending on the birds depicted. The birds depicted in the picture are swallows and are a favorite among sea faring people and is one of the centerpieces of the maritime tradition. Other bird tattoos that are associated with the maritime tradition include parrots and blue birds. Both of those birds signify good luck to those who travel the sea. Outside the sea faring tradition birds are more commonly associated with the feminine. In parts of rural Africa, ‘Hen’ refers to a motherly woman, while dove is the young girl. In Great Britain and the United States, chick and bird are synonyms for girlfriend, while old crow refers to the nagging old woman. Of course, their are exceptions to every rule, even in the tradition of bird tattoos. Eagles are often associated with great courage and are definitely a masculine symbol and what would Japanese tattooing be without the phoenix.