Symbolism in the Sky: What Birds Represent in Art and Culture
Living in Austin, Texas, and frequently visiting Santa Fe, New Mexico, I’m lucky to have the sky as my ceiling and a chorus of bird calls for background music. When I’m not at my desk working as a psychometrician—yes, the kind of person who designs and studies psychological tests—you’ll usually find me in my studio, paintbrush in hand, working on a small 12 x 12 wood panel. And more often than not, there’s a bird on that panel.
For me, painting birds isn’t just about capturing a beautiful subject. Each one carries centuries of meaning—threads of history, culture, and human emotion woven into feathers and wings. The psychologist in me can’t help but notice how these symbols speak to our deepest human needs: for freedom, for hope, and for resilience.
Freedom
Few things say freedom like a bird in flight. Whether it’s the bald eagle soaring high over a Texas lake or an albatross gliding over open seas, wings against the sky awaken something in us—a longing to rise above whatever holds us down.
“A single bird in the sky can remind us of the vastness of our own possibilities.”
Hope
The dove is perhaps the most universal bird of hope, carrying its olive branch through centuries of art and storytelling. Even today, a single white dove in a painting can shift the mood from sorrow to peace. As someone who works with data and numbers, I’m always struck by how quickly an image can change a mind or soften a heart.
Resilience
Cranes, especially in Japanese tradition, symbolize longevity and perseverance. They endure extreme migrations and adapt to harsh environments, much like the human spirit can adapt to life’s challenges. When I paint cranes, I’m not just thinking about anatomy and composition—I’m thinking about the long arc of survival, both theirs and ours.
When Symbols Are at Risk
It’s hard to celebrate these meanings without also acknowledging the threats many species face:
Piñon Jay – Revered in Native American traditions for adaptability, now losing habitat as pinyon pine forests decline.
Whooping Crane – Once down to just 15 birds in the 1940s, they’ve made an incredible comeback but remain vulnerable.
Golden-cheeked Warbler – Found only here in the Texas hill country, its bright beauty belies the fragility of its disappearing habitat.
Golden-Cheeked Warbler
Here’s a photo I snapped of a Golden-cheeked Warbler at our property in Wimberley, Texas. It was a curious little thing and followed me around a bit. I’m currently working on a painting of this very bird. Stay tuned!
Pinon Jay
Here’s a painting of a Piñon Jay (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus) that I painted this summer. It is available for purchase here.
As an artist, I see my paintings as part celebration, part witness. Every brushstroke is my way of honoring these birds—and maybe, just maybe, nudging others to care about them, too.
A Cultural Tapestry of Wings
Across history and geography, birds have carried different meanings:
Ancient Egypt – Falcons linked to Horus, god of the sky, symbolizing kingship and divine protection.
Celtic tradition – Ravens as messengers between human and spiritual realms.
Chinese art – The phoenix as a symbol of transformation and renewal.
Through my psychologist’s lens, I see these as reflections of our own hopes, fears, and transformations. Birds become a mirror, showing us who we are and who we want to be.
“Birds are the bridge between what we know and what we dream.”
Why It Matters for Artists
When we paint birds, we’re adding to a lineage that stretches back centuries. That sparrow might echo Japanese woodblock prints. That crane might carry the same symbolic weight it did in a scroll painting hundreds of years ago.
And while some species are struggling to survive, keeping them alive in our art is one way of keeping their stories in the public eye. Art slows people down—just long enough for them to notice. And once they notice, they’re far more likely to care.
Final Thought
Whether it’s a rare whooping crane or the sparrow outside your kitchen window, each bird is more than just a feathered visitor. It’s a living piece of art history, culture, and psychology. And every time I pick up my brush, I’m adding my own small square—twelve inches by twelve inches—to that vast and beautiful sky.
References
Armstrong, E. A. (1970). The Symbolic Meaning of Birds. London: Sidgwick & Jackson.
Biedermann, H. (1992). Dictionary of Symbolism: Cultural Icons and the Meanings Behind Them. New York: Facts on File.
Firth, R. (1973). Symbols: Public and Private. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.
National Audubon Society. (n.d.). Bird Guide. Retrieved from https://www.audubon.org/bird-guide
National Park Service. (2023). Whooping Crane Recovery. Retrieved from https://www.nps.gov/articles/whooping-crane.htm
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. (2024). Golden-cheeked Warbler. Retrieved from https://tpwd.texas.gov
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. (2023). Piñon Jay Conservation Status. Retrieved from https://www.fws.gov
*A Note on How This Post Was Made
I sometimes team up with AI tools to help shape my blog posts—kind of like having a brainstorming buddy who never runs out of ideas. I always review, edit, and add my own touch, so everything you read here still comes straight from my love of art, nature, and birds.