The bluebird like the swallow with which it's often associated is a favourite nautical symbol of good luck. As a nautical tattoo design, the bluebird has sometimes been mistaken within popular culture for the swallow, or swift, and the two very different species of birds have quite similar colouring, with bright accents of blue and orange, verging to both red and yellow. In mythology, the bluebird is the universally acknowledged sign of happiness, prosperity, good health, and the arrival of spring. The beautiful blue of its plumage is associated with the sky and eternal happiness. Unlike the swallow, it does not have a 'dark' side.
In magical symbology the bluebird represents confidence. And in the Valentine myth, the Bluebird is a 'man of laughter' and symbolizes happy love. Because of its benign qualities, it has become a favourite subject in European fairy tales -- and song. 'The Bluebird of Happiness' became a popular song in the 1940's.
Another myth hails the bluebird as the spirit associated with the rising sun. A dead bluebird is associated with loss of innocence and disillusionment.
In Korea, legend has it that the Bluebird flutters around humans and reports back to the gods. 'A little bird told me,' could well apply to the bluebird.
Traditionally, the bluebird (or depending upon your belief, the swallow) is tattooed on one side of a sailor's chest when he can claim 10,000 miles at sea. When he has clocked 20,000 nautical miles, the sailor may apply the bird's mate to on the other side of his chest. A pair of bluebirds together is a sign of the well-travelled sailor.
Bird Tattoos and Their Meanings
Dove Tattoos: Dove tattoos are one of the most popular tattoo designs. The meaning of the dove tattoo is the same worldwide. As we know, dove stands for peace and hope. Dove tattoos also have biblical allusions, like for example, the dove is said to be the bird who brought the twig to Noah, which signified the flood. It is used to represent the Holy Spirit in the Bible. Besides the religious meanings, the dove is also said to be the symbol of love, love for the society. Interestingly, there is one more meaning to dove tattoos which is not so popular, according to this meaning, dove represents death, to be precise, it represents the journey of a person from earth to heaven. Whichever meaning you take, all the meanings are noble and that is the reason dove tattoos are not gender biased. Men and women both can get a dove tattoo done.
Eagle Tattoos: This is one of the popular bird tattoos, especially amongst guys. In general, eagle tattoos are said to be a symbol of strength, independence and fearlessness. The American eagle tattoos are a symbol of honor, patriotism and spiritual growth. Bald eagle is a national symbol of America and is more associated with freedom. One of the popular bald eagle tattoo design is of the eagle with its wings spread and American flag in the background. If you want to get an eagle tattoo design as a symbol of strength, you can opt for the classic design of a soaring eagle, who is ready to jump on its prey!
Swallow Tattoos: Though these birdies are small, they are quite strong and also popular as bird tattoo designs. Swallows are associated with sailors; sailors believed that swallow tattoos symbolize a safe landing. There are also certain other meanings of swallow tattoos. Some of the popular ones are, two swallow tattoos symbolize freedom, they are also a symbol of loyalty and love. There is an very interesting reason behind these meanings, unlike all other birds, when a swallow chooses a partner, it remains with the same partner throughout its life! This is one of the good bird tattoos for girls, which can also be done by guys.
Hummingbird Tattoos: Hummingbird tattoo designs are also quite famous amongst girls. Hummingbirds were believed to have supernatural powers, it was believed that anyone wearing a wrapped dead hummingbird around their neck would be able to allure the opposite sex with ease. Hummingbirds are also considered a symbol of energy and positiveness. So if you want a cute tattoo with a little sensuous meaning, you can opt for hummingbird tattoo. This is one of the best ideas for bird tattoos on wrist. Read more on wrist tattoos for girls.
These were some of the popular bird tattoos. Besides these birds, other birds which are famous for tattoos are bluebirds, robins, phoenix, owls, robins, etc. So now that you know the meaning of bird tattoos, you can get the right one for yourself.