Blackbird Symbolism: 14 Spiritual Meanings of Blackbird

Blackbirds are common birds in many parts of the world, so it is not uncommon to encounter them in the wild. But did you know that the common blackbird carries many spiritual meanings and symbolism?

Blackbirds are considered intelligent, protective, and mysterious birds. Seeing blackbirds can be a good omen or a warning. They can also act as spirits, power, or totem animals, guiding you through life. They can appear in your dreams to bring you messages. Read on to find out about blackbird symbolism.

Facts about the species

So that we can understand the symbolism better, let’s find out more about the species first. There are two different families of blackbirds. The old-world blackbirds include the Eurasian blackbird and those found in Africa and Asia. The new world blackbirds are native to North America as well as the South and Central Americas.

Only the male blackbirds have glossy black feathers, the females have dark brown upper parts with lighter brown lower parts and an off-white throat. The males have bright orange-yellow bills and eye rings while the females have brown bills with a little yellow.

You can often spot blackbirds standing with their head cocked to one side. They do this when they are listening for worms to catch. They usually fly quite low and when they move on the ground, they hop around quickly.

You can hear blackbirds perched on trees or buildings. Their usual notes are quite low but can develop into a strident chattering if something alarms them. To find out more about the species and how to attract them to your garden, visit Ark Wildlife.

Blackbird symbolism

Depending on what the blackbird is doing and your situation in life, there are different interpretations available to us.

Adaptability

Blackbirds are masters at adapting to any situation and will not be too fussy about what they eat. Their adaptability teaches us to make the best of different situations and not to feel discouraged.

Beauty

Beauty is more than skin deep, it is also about the qualities we possess. A blackbird could be telling you to showcase your inner beauty and not to hold back.

Intuition

Blackbirds could be sending us a message to believe in ourselves and to trust our intuition. It reminds us to seek answers from within ourselves rather than from others.

Knowledge

Blackbirds are intelligent birds, so seeing one can be a reminder to use your intelligence. It can also refer to secrets not known in this world.

For more details, visit Tree Symbolism.

Because blackbirds are found on many continents, different cultures reference them in their mythology and folklore. What do different cultures say about blackbirds?

Native Americans

Some Native American cultures such as Arikara, Sioux, and Mandans used blackbirds to gauge how well they were managing their harvests. If their harvests were ravaged by blackbirds, it meant the guardians of corn needed placating.

Other tribes, including the Cherokee and Hopi, saw blackbirds as a link with the underworld and your inner self.

The Celts

For the Celtic people, blackbirds were associated with God and the otherworld. They believed blackbirds had the power to send people to the grave. They also believed blackbirds could bring people back to life with their songs.

The Goddess Queen Rhiannon saw the blackbird as a creature who grasped the concept of time.

Christianity and Judaism

Blackbirds have not been viewed favorably in Christianity or Judaism. For example, in one legend, Saint Benedict was tempted by the devil who was dressed as a blackbird. The blackbird was seen to represent carnal pleasures and temptation. A white blackbird symbolized the purity of will.

In Judaism and Rabbinical teachings, the term baal teshuva is used to describe blackbirds. It refers to a creature that has sinned and has become a misleading light in the darkness.

African Cultures

In ancient Egypt, blackbirds symbolized the cycle of life. It represented rebirth and regeneration. The birds’ migrational patterns are symbolic of death and birth. Its yearly return symbolized death was not the end of life.

Japan

In Japanese culture, the blackbird was associated with the God Izanagi and it was believed to direct souls to paradise or incarnation. Blackbirds were omens for happy marriages and good luck unless they appeared in your doorway unexpectedly, which brought you bad luck.

As well as having symbolic importance, blackbirds are important spiritually, too.

Blackbird Power Animal

You can call on the blackbird when you need spiritual help. In times of change, the blackbird can help you be more adaptive. Calling on the blackbird can also help you make better decisions.

You can also harness the power of the blackbird to help you uncover hidden truths that may be harmful to you or your loved ones.

Blackbird Spirit Animal

If you are aligned with the blackbird spirit, it can help you trust the path you are on and remind you to be open to exploration. The blackbird spirit animal tells us to believe in our strength and in the ability to choose where we want to go in life. The spirit is also telling us to speak up and express our truth.

People with blackbird spirit animals have a lot of intuition, but they acknowledge their limits. Because blackbirds are protective of their territory, people spiritually associated with them can find it hard to trust others.

Blackbird Totem Animal

People who have a blackbird as their birth totem animal are often artistic, shy, and self-aware. They often feel like the voice of reason in their circle of friends or their family. They like to make time for serious reflection and have a lot of empathy for others.

Despite their timidity, blackbird totem animal personalities are often in leadership roles because of their ability to follow their instincts. They avoid negativity and rarely find themselves in toxic situations.

Find out more details about blackbirds as power, spirit, and totem animals here.

People who feel ‌the blackbird spirit in their lives sometimes choose to show it with a tattoo.

Blackbird Tattoo Symbolism

A blackbird tattoo is a symbol of the balance between darkness and light. They can also be associated with transition and transformation. A blackbird tattoo can be a reminder to use our senses and inner wisdom to understand the different aspects of life.

Blackbird tattoos can also symbolize high ideals and finding your path to wisdom, with black being a symbol of unlimited potential. The spirit of the blackbird can guide us through transformations along our path.

Even when we haven’t called on the spirit of the blackbird, they can appear in our dreams with messages. This can happen when the spirit feels we need guidance.

Blackbird dream symbolism

There are multiple interpretations of blackbirds in your dreams depending on whether there is a whole flock of them, just one of them, and what they are doing.

A dream of a caged blackbird can mean that you feel imprisoned, possibly by something you have done. It helps you realize you have to deal with the conflicts from the past. However, if you dream of buying, selling, or being given a blackbird in a cage, they all have different meanings. See the Dream Glossary website for more details.

If you catch a blackbird in a dream, it can mean that you are a realist and believe that everyone is responsible for their happiness. Meanwhile, a blackbird on your windowsill can symbolize negative feelings such as fear, sorrow, or depression. The blackbird standing in your window is telling you to be persistent as your troubles will pass.

If you dream about feeding a blackbird, it means that you don’t have prejudices and that you are focused on living your life. However, if it is someone else feeding the blackbird, then it can be a warning that you are about to become a target of gossip.

Finally, a flock of these blackbirds in your dream, especially if they are singing in the trees, tells you to prepare for changes in your life. Those changes will bring happiness to you as long as you are not afraid of them, but are ready to accept them.

Summary

Blackbirds are associated with intelligence, mystery, and protection, but their exact message depends on the context they are seen in.

They can appear to prepare us for changes in our lives so that we can accept them and allow them to bring us happiness. Harnessing the power of a blackbird can help us adapt to those changes. Other times, they can warn us about the intentions of others or our past entrapping us.

The blackbird spirit reminds us to speak our truth and to trust our instincts, which will guide us towards the destiny we desire.

We hope this article has answered all your questions about blackbird symbolism. However, if you still have questions, write them in the comments section.