Birds are common across tattoo styles thanks to their simplicity and symbolism. They’re also one of the most common animals seen in nature so people naturally gravitate towards them.

Going all the way back to the start of American traditional tattooing, birds were a popular image thanks to their history; sailors would often get swallows inked to visibly mark them as sailors. It was said that if they drowned, the swallows would carry their souls to heaven.

Nowadays, birds tend to represent more than sailing experience. The animal can symbolize freedom, courage, or even travel. Specific birds have their own symbolism as well, like the dove—which represents peace, faith, and purity—or the phoenix, which represents rebirth and second chances.

Pilar Zurita, an Artist at Atelier Eva, says that birds represent the different stages of life and the need for connection. “Primarily, people gravitate towards bird tattoos as they tend to symbolize the fleeting nature of life—a common allegory for transitional periods, the instinct to keep moving forward and flying in a close, familial group.”

Realistic hummingbird tattoos require a lot of shading, but they’re able to remain feeling light thanks to the delicate nature of the bird itself. Ask your artist to use gradient shading to add dimension to the design as well.

Hummingbirds have a very distinct shape (and beak!), so it’s easy to re-create it using fewer lines. This watercolor hummingbird design uses a variety of line thicknesses to create the shape of the bird overtop vivid hues.

Birds are easily broken down into their basic elements for line art or abstract tattoos, and doves in particular are no different. If you like simple ink, choose a design that utilizes the smallest number of lines possible without losing the dove’s image.

If you prefer the most minimalist of minimal tattoos, try a line art hummingbird design. This tattoo seems to be created out of one single line, but manages to nail the major elements to translate the bird through the style.

While traditional tattooing is known for its heavy lines, what really makes it that style is the arrangement of lines and the posing of the elements. This bird uses thin lines and no color but still manages to portray the American traditional style.

Geometric tattoos don’t have to be done in all black ink! If you want to use color, try using colors to denote where the elements sit in terms of background and foreground. For a real pop, make the middle element the brightest color.

Swallows are the most common bird type in traditional tattoos, and they’re often seen in pairs. If you like the idea of double swallows, consider getting them in separate areas—like the hands or the ankles—where they can both stand alone and together.