50 Inspiring Bird Tattoo Ideas That Fly High

Birds are one of the most popular subjects for tattoo designs. Birds are not only beautiful, but they also carry meaning and symbolize freedom, free-thinking, spirituality, and higher understanding. There are also a lot of different birds around the world to inspire bird tattoos. From the classic swallow tattoos worn by sailors for decades to more tropical and exotic birds like parrots and flamingos, there is no shortage of feathered friends to depict in ink.

We decided to look at some of the latest bird tattoos people are getting to see what birds are trending and to get a better understanding of what styles and designs work best for the birdies. We found 50 inspired and unique bird tattoos that we think you’ll love. These bird tattoo designs are fresh and we hope they inspire you to consider getting some ink that soars.

Get Inspired by These Beautiful Bird Tattoo Ideas!

Winter Flowers

Camellia flowers are treasured across Asia and this gorgeous green and yellow bird is perched among them. This stunning tattoo was shared by a Korean tattoo artist who must be proud of this achievement.

A Stunning Silhouette

While colorful ink is attractive, sometimes simple black and grey prove even more dramatic. This silhouette of a bird in flight contains a dense floral scene that’s absolutely gorgeous.

A Berry Bluebird

Wow! This watercolor tattoo of a bluebird is mystifying in the best sort of way. The design borders on abstract, using just basic shapes and intense color-blocking. There’s so much movement here! We love this bird tattoo!

Baby Blues

You can always give your bird tattoo some supernatural flare by including possessed blue eyes that seem to peer straight into the soul. This owl tattoo is beautiful, but we’re not sure how we feel about the accentuated demon eyes.

What Ya Got There?

Wow! This stunner of a bluebird really pops in front of the golden ink used to shade the sun. The bird has in its clutches the stems of some truly gorgeous roses that also balance the design with their red color.

Do the Dodo

The now extinct dodo bird didn’t fear humans and made them easy to catch by Dutch sailors who ate the bird to extinction. The dodo wanted to be friends, but humans messed it all up! This very simple tattoo manages to capture a touch of the bird’s melancholy and is a completely original and unique design.

Floral Flyer

Don’t just get a hummingbird tattoo of the bird feeding on flowers. No, go all the way and make the hummingbird made of flowers as well! This very large tattoo is bursting with color and life! We need more like this.

A Swallow

Swallows are extremely popular birds for tattoo enthusiasts and have been since British sailors got them tattooed as symbols for their sailing experience. The swallow was chosen because lore had it that they could travel over 5,000 nautical miles. Typically, these tattoos were placed on the neck or hands. This swallow differs from the more traditional design and instead exemplifies the photorealistic style to great effect.

Periquito

Look at this adorable parakeet! The many colors used to make this bird shine have been expertly blended and shaded. There’s also a hint of a watercolor effect that surrounds the little cutie.

The Crane

This Japanese-style stork or crane has a lot going for it. The deep colors and angular lines give it an almost wallpaper-y 2-D effect.

Beakaboo!

This super-sharp traditional design depicting a parrot is insanely beautiful. We love the boiled-down 2-D shapes in the wings that border on geometric patterning. The use of black ink is completely balanced with the blues, reds, and golds.

Diving Loon

This tattoo of a diving loon in the midst of a dramatic dive belongs to a birder named Rosie. This very tidy and sharp tattoo is both dramatic and somewhat playful. A very unique choice that, thanks to the artist, has been pulled off well.

Colorful Cardinal

Oh, hello! This cheerful cardinal tattoo has a cartoonish quality to it thanks to the bird’s amicable expression. The intense red is mellowed out by the blue accents found in the clouds in the background.

Tiny Bird

Micro tattoos are always such fun. This very, very small tattoo was achieved by forgoing the tattoo gun and instead hand-poking the tattoo with a needle. The very delicate dot work here is a triumph.

Pretty, Pretty Peacock

This dreamy design imagines the feathers of a peacock with mosaic-like shapes in its feathers. The plumage is where it’s at in this bird tattoo and it’s glorious.

That’s an Eagle

If you’re going to get a tattoo of a bird, you can go big with an entire sleeve of a bird’s face. Why not? This very realistic design was most likely tattooed by an artist with portrait experience. This was a choice!

Rad Red Robin

This regal red robin is flanked by leaves and berries. It is in front of a seafoam green backdrop, this orange of the robin’s breast really shines. What a marvelous bird tattoo.

Brilliantly Blue Hawk

For this bird tattoo, we find a grey hawk flanked by blue feathers. Take a look at the bird’s eye and you will find that same, vibrant blue repeated.

Who?

Owls have the most mysterious and dazzling eyes and we’re getting a closeup of one in this tattoo. This mesmerizing bird tattoo includes autumn leaves as opposed to summer ones to give the overall design a warm tone. This is just incredible.

A Touch of Whimsy

Take a look at this chap! We’re not entirely sure what is going on here and we’re not mad about it. We’re all for birds in suiting.

Finely Feathered

This tattoo hails from Poland but the artist explained that the design was inspired by Japanese themes. The lines of the tattoo are so fine and paired with the awesome shading that provides texture, it’s a real winner.

Rockin’ Robin

Here, we find another robin, however, it’s been done in a completely different style. The feathers are composed of hard shapes to give them form. The breast of the bird is dotted with parallel shapes giving it the overall appearance of patterning. It’s remarkable.

Hawk & Roses

This impressive bird tattoo happens to be huge! We find a hawk entangled in roses which marries soft and tough. The detailing of the bird’s feather in the foreground is amazing. Well done!

Little Baby Bird

While you can go big and get a bird tattoo that’s essentially a half sleeve, there’s nothing wrong with keeping things cute and small. This soft, delicate tattoo is beaming with pastel color. The absence of black ink really helps to keep this hummingbird design as light as a feather.

Birds & Berries

This bird tattoo is the perfect meditation on texture. Each component of this design is beautifully shaded with texture that can be seen in the feathers of the birds and the details on the leaves.

A Cartoonish Pigeon

How fun is this bird tattoo that looks like a work of art? It’s such a singular design that feels so unique and special. Work with a tattoo artist with a point of view to walk away with something as fabulous as this.

Almost Abstract

With this bird tattoo, you can’t tell what kind of bird it is which might appeal to you. It reads as almost a symbol of the winged creatures complete with a sun detail.

A Touch of Magic

In this bird tattoo, we find our feathered friend holding onto a potion. Take a look at all of the marvelous dots used to compose this very fine design. It truly looks magical.

Ornamental

Here’s another one of the bird tattoos that is almost an abstract design. This bird is comprised of elements that look like ornamental motifs. Fine lines really make this tattoo a standout.

Explosive Color

When black ink is absent, tattoos can look impressionistic and free. In this design, we find a rainbow-colored bird emerging from a diamond shape which proves refreshing and cool.

Tiny Silhouettes

Micro tattoos of bird silhouettes are a very popular choice today. They are fine but know that you will be in very good company should you decide to request bird tattoos like these.

Dove & Bird of Paradise

One of the most beautiful plants on earth, the bird of paradise, is paired with a dove for a unique and intriguing bird tattoo. We love the use of blue ink for shading on the white bird.

So Much Movement

Here’s another bird tattoo that skews abstract. We get the overall shape from a happy mess of lines in both black and light grey. They keep the eye busy and offer plenty of movement.

An Owl in a Top Hat

This neo-traditional tattoo marries old-school techniques with contemporary color choices. It feels both new and old at the same time which might appeal to you if you love traditional tattooing but want to explore the boundaries of it.

Minimalist Bird on a Wire

One of the most subtle bird tattoos on this list comes in the form of a very minimal bird on a wire. You don’t have to go big and colorful to make a solid statement with your ink.

The Geese

These little geese have been tattooed with such care. Delicate shading and very fine lines bring them to life.

Red Wing Black Birds

One of our favorite bird tattoos on this list finds a couple of blackbirds intertwined. The result is an almost geometric shape. Work with a tattoo artist who knows a thing or two about composition and you could walk away with something as equally cool.

Oh, So Real

Here’s another photorealistic bird tattoo that forms an entire sleeve. Capturing your feathered friend in its natural setting proves a great option if you’ve got plenty of time and money to invest.

Good Day, Sir

Oh, hello! Here’s yet another bird dressed up in human clothing. He looks like a rather dapper fellow. Consider something similar for a touch of whimsy.

One Cool Customer

This black and grey tattoo is simply stunning. There are so many minute details that you can get lost looking at it. There’s an interesting black line whipping around that adds to the coolness of this design.

Wonderfully Weird

You don’t need to stick to the script and, in fact, the further you stray from conventional designs, the better. It’s hard to find the words to describe this bird tattoo so just take a good look at it to enjoy the strangeness.

Surrealist

This bird tattoo reminds us of surrealist art. It bucks convention and relies on dream logic to make sense. Why else would a very big bird be inside all alone?

Bold Blue Heron

The great blue heron is a wading bird that can be found all over the western world. This loving portrait finds one framed by a golden sun that contrasts with the blue color of the bird. What a dream!

A Swell Swallow

As we mentioned, swallow bird tattoos are exceedingly common these days. We find this one offering more style than others you will encounter. Bold, black shapes help shape and define the form in a very interesting and refreshing way.

Like Smoke

Here’s one of the bird tattoos that verges on the abstract. You can find the familiar form composed of brushstrokes that almost look like smoke. Isn’t it magnificent?

A Handsome Raven

Raven tattoos are fairly common but few look this neat and tidy. The tattoo has been expertly shaded with golden-orange flowers that help strike balance.

Painted on Water

Here’s one of the best watercolor bird tattoos on this list. The body of the bird is mostly solid but as your eye moves away from the head to the wings, you will get more of an impression of wings that look as if they’ve been painted on.

Fancy Flamingo

Let us not forget the virtues of a handsome, pink flamingo. This bird tattoo is so crisp with tiny details that are absolutely enviable. Who else wants a tattoo of one of these pink birds now?

Crane Scissors

How cool are these scissors with a bird design on the handle? Clean, black lines make this tattoo really stand out for all the right reasons. If you keep things clean and simple, you will not regret it. There’s something to be said about restraint when it comes to tattoo design.

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In My Heart

We at Mamas Uncut love a pet tattoo and this little companion is such a cutie. The lines and details are so fine here with the bird encased in the most gentle heart shape. We have fallen in love with this golden bird too!

There you go! 50 bird tattoos for bird lovers, birders, or just folks who love the way a bird looks in tattoo form. If you loved these designs, take a look at these mesmerizing hummingbird tattoos!

Discover the Sweet Hummingbird Tattoo Ideas In a Variety of Styles and Sizes Below:

Rainbow Color

The most popular type of hummingbird tattoo is similar to this one. We find a bird in full color, often sipping on a flower.

Watercolor Hummingbird Tattoo

Other possibilities include watercolor tattoos which are also extremely popular. The artist uses shading to make the tattoo look as if it’s been painted on.

Realness

Black and grey designs are far less popular but not unheard of among hummingbird tattoos. As you can see from the above example, it can totally work and look like a winner.

A Delicate Touch

Here’s another example of a tattoo without color. It’s been applied by a single needle by hand. This results in very crisp and delicate lines that you can’t get with a regular tattoo gun.

Vibrant

We find rich and romantic colors in this hummingbird tattoo. You’ll see several examples that are like this and each has its own virtues to celebrate.

In a Sleeve

If you want a substantial tattoo, consider getting a floral sleeve that incorporates our feathered friends. This lush example shows you just how it’s done.

Built by Flowers

Artists can use botanical elements to build the shape of a hummingbird. You’ll need to find an artist with a great point of view, but something similar is both a celebration of the bird as well as the nature it thrives among.

Clean Lines

A simple black and grey tattoo with clean lines can really shine. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel for your tattoo. A straightforward design can be a winning one as long as it’s applied with care.

Stylish

We’re really into the more stylized design that the artist takes liberty with. These birds look so special with their minimal details and electric color.

Neo-Traditional Magic

Neo-traditional tattoos marry the best parts of traditional tattooing with newer techniques that are widespread today. We get bold lines, colors, and shapes, here.

Minimalist

On the opposite end of the spectrum, we find a minimalist take that captures a hummingbird in flight. The wings on this design are just so exciting and very special.

Go Big or Go Home

If going big is your style, you can request a larger hummingbird tattoo with some floral elements to fill and balance the design out. Big birds are less common than you might think so getting one would certainly make a statement.

Something Different

When we started researching hummingbird tattoos the furthest thing from our expectations was to find a skeletal take. It goes to show that thinking outside the box can result in a tattoo that’s 100% your own.

Charming

This delicate tattoo on the shoulder is almost a micro tattoo. For something smaller, consider a unique placement like this one to make it pop.

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Haunting

Take a look at the way the feathers have been so intricately tattooed here. What a haunting and intriguing look.

All About the Shapes

We’ll be sharing a couple of hummingbird tattoos that find distinct shapes that form their bodies. This is one such example that borders on ornamental.

Embroidered

Patch tattoos and embroidery tattoos are emerging trends today. These designs are tattooed in such a way that they look more like thread than actual ink.

Traditional

For the traditionalists out there, you can work with an artist to come up with a hummingbird tattoo that harkens back to early Americana tattoos. Here’s a great example.

Simple Lines

A couple of lines is all it takes to form a beautiful hummingbird tattoo. You can really make a huge impact by doing very little. What a dream!

Completely Unique

A memorial piece for a grandmother, this tattoo stands out for all the right reasons. There is mysterious imagery here that is no doubt personal to this person and celebrating the memory of her grandmother. It’s both strange (we mean this in a good way) and heartwarming.

A Cute Pair

We did not see a lot of hummingbird tattoos placed on the back but as you can see it’s a winning spot. Two delicate birdies sure look magical in the above example.

Ultra-Stylized

Here’s a very stylized and original hummingbird tattoo. Using just orange and black, a totally cool tattoo has been made. Work with an artist to realize your vision and you could have a tattoo that’s equally as singular.

Part of Something Larger

You can get poetic with your hummingbird tattoo by working the character into a larger scene. Here’s one of the best examples of how you can make that happen.

Gorgeous Shading

Deep greens, blues, and purples are splendidly shaded together in this unique design. Don’t be afraid to play with color.

Understated

Here’s another one of the hummingbird tattoos that is all about shapes. Green and blue play nicely together in this elegant design.

Got an Eye on You

This hummingbird tattoo looks as if it’s jumping off the skin. We also found the eye on this one to be uniquely piercing.

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Carried on a Breeze

We leave you with a whimsical design that finds a hummingbird flying on a breeze filled with cute, little flowers. This tattoo positively sweeps you away. Bravo!

Wow! Hummingbird tattoos are seriously some of the most beautiful you will ever see. It turns out these little birds that capture our imaginations can also capture our hearts in tattoo form. We hope these hummingbird tattoo ideas have inspired you to consider your own, unique design. Happy tattooing!