Bird Dream Interpretation

Freud thought that the bird represented the phallus and that flying represented the sexual act. Although in many countries the word ‘bird’ means a girl or woman, in Italy it means the male organ. In ancient myths, birds denote freedom, spiritual knowledge or wisdom gained from experience, but many dream analysts believe dream birds represent your imagination and the aspect of your mind that can travel far and wide, even if this is only in dreams.

When a pet bird appears in your dream, there are plenty of ways to interpret its visit.

If the bird is chirping or flying, then it may symbolize feelings of happiness, love, joy or harmony. Sometimes it means that a weight will soon be lifted off your shoulders or that you will experience spiritual freedom in the near future. On the other hand, if the bird is starving, injured or dying, this may symbolize feelings of restriction and loneliness in waking life.

If, in your dream, the pet bird is caged or you are trying to put the bird in the cage, this represents feelings of being restricted in some way, being trapped in a relationship or holding back love or affection; if there are good feelings about the caged bird, this may suggest a need to withhold or withdraw love or freedom.

If you set a bird free or a bird escapes in your dreams, this indicates feelings of spiritual, emotional or physical freedom.

Pay attention to the species of pet bird in your dream too, as this may hold a clue to the interpretation. For example, cockatiels, lovebirds, Senegals, red bellies, African grays and pionus parrots generally have a reputation for being quiet birds and their appearance in dreams may suggest a period or introspection and reflection. Cockatoos, on the other hand, have one of the worst reputations for screaming, largely because they require quite a bit of attention and amusement or they clamor for it loudly. Is there an aspect of your personality that is screaming out for more attention? Parrots are born copycats, so is your dreaming mind urging you to be more original or to follow someone else’s example? In dreams, such birds suggest that you are repeating without judgment what others have told you. Are you accepting or copying someone or something in your life without a proper process of evaluation? Alternatively, dream parrots may also symbolize verbosity or the need to express yourself in some way.

Parakeets or budgies can represent a lack of analytical thought or spiritual thinking, whilst finches are a sign of emotional maturity or the need for it. Dreaming of canaries suggests singing and may therefore refer to a joyful emotion. On the other hand, it may reflect your anxieties about being the focus of gossip.

To dream of doves reflects a peaceful nature or condition. The dove is not a pet that often features in dreams, in fact it rarely appears in the dreaming panorama at all, being quite different from pets like cats, dogs and horses that rouse strong emotions. Therefore, if a dove does appear in your dreams, your dreaming mind has conjured up a rare symbol to send you a rare message. In mythology, the dove is the bird with the sweet song that accompanies Venus; it is the symbol of a sweet creature, of a delicate strength. In dreams, pet doves that stay with you not because they have to but because they want to are symbols of a sentiment of deep tenderness, of the sharing of a magic moment that involves the lovers, their soul and their bodies. The dove holds in itself the sweetness of love and the elevation of the spirit, the above and the below, earth and sky. Similar in some ways to the dove is the lovebird; this bird is a symbol of companionship or an appreciation of other people in your life.

Bear in mind too that pet birds are messy creatures; the amount of cleaning they require is the biggest complaint heard from bird owners who are having second thoughts about their pets.

If you are cleaning up the cage of a pet bird in your dream, this may suggest that you have perhaps taken on more responsibility than you can manage in the care of someone else or in some aspect of your life.

(Fowl, Man, Woman) An unknown bird in a dream represents the angel of death. Ifone sees a bird diving to the ground to pick a pebble, a paper, or a worm, then ifhe soars away from a house that hosts a sick person in a dream, it means that the sick person will shortly die from his illness.

If one sees a bird diving toward him in a dream, it means a journey.

If one sees him standing over his head, or over his shoulders, or sitting in his lap in a dream, it denotes one’s work or profession. Ifthe bird is white in the dream, it means that one’s work is clean, Ifhis color is tanned in the dream, it means that one’s work is tainted.

If a male bird sits in the lap ofa pregnant woman in a dream, it means that she will beget a boy.

If a female bird sits in her lap in a dream, it means that she will beget a girl. Large or predatory birds in a dream represent kings, presidents, leaders, tyrants, men of knowledge or merchants. Water birds, sea gulls, etcetera, represent honorable people who rose in rank in two spheres, the sphere of water and that of the air. They also could mean ajourney.

If they quack in the dream, they represent lamentingor crying. Singingbirds in a dream represent musicians and singers.

To see a flock of birds in a dream means money and power and particularly for someone who tends them or cares for them. Seeing birds flying over one’s head means gaining authority and power.

If one sees birds flying inside his house or shop in a dream, it means angels.

If a bird flies into one’s hand in a dream, it means glad tidings.

A bird in a dream also means work.

An unknown bird in a dream means a warning, an advice or an admonition.

If one’s bird looks beautiful in a dream, it denotes the quality of his work.

If one sees himself in a dream carrying an ugly looking bird, it also denotes the quality of his actions or that a messenger may bring him good news.

An unknown bird means profits.

To see black colored birds in a dream denote bad deeds, while white colored birds represent good deeds. Colored birds in a dream represent mixed actions. Seeing a bird in a dream also could mean honor, power, authority ornament or profits.

A bird in a dream also represents a fun and a most entertaining companion.

A bird in a dream also represents a boy.

If one slaughters a bird in his dream, it means that he will beget a child who will live in sickness during his childhood and that his father will fear for his death.

It is said that a bird in a dream also represents a rich and a tricky leader who constantly fights for his earnings and to insure his success or superiority. Abird in a dream also represents a beautiful woman.

The singing of birds in a dream means hearing good words or receiving a valuable knowledge.

A flock of birds in a dream represents easy earned wealth.

A bird in a dream also represents a boy. Capturing a bird in a dream means having control over a powerful person. Killing a bird in a dream means fulfilling one’s goal. Plucking the feathers, cleaning and eating a bird in a dream means earnings, prosperity, or a woman. Slaughtering a bird in a dream means raping one’s servant. Holding a bird in one’s hand or having it inside a cage in a dream means a sickness that will befall one’s son. Ifthe bird flies away from one’s hand or from its cage in a dream, then it means one’s death.

A flock of birds in a dream also represents gatherings of love, unity, family reunions and celebrations. However, the gathering of birds in a dream also could mean banding to commit wrong or the dispersal of one’s family or friends, or it could mean business losses.

(See Also: Blackbird, Bustard, Nest, Osprey, Roller)

(See Also: entries for particular birds: e.g. Eagle, Falcon.

(1) A bird may represent the sweet directness and simplicity’ of Nature, unpretentious and contented £is-ness\ In this case, your dream may be telling you w’hat you need to make room for in your life and in your fundamental attitudes. For example, the bird may be seen (or, indeed, heard) as calling you to an uncomplicated but holistic state of being, in which consciousness and body - spirit and matter - are completely attuned. This call will undoubtedly come if consciousness (brain) has become detached from the more primitive or primal layers of being (body, instinct. Nature).

(2) It may be that the bird signifies an entry into, or an invitation to enter, realms of spiritual power (symbolized by the sky). (In religious traditions that focus on a supreme sky-god — as in pre-modem Siberia - there is invariably a shaman, a person who is regarded as maintaining order and well-being in the human community’ and in the individual by maintaining a proper communication between the human wrorld and the spirit world (See Also: Spirit(s).) The shaman is said to fly - to make contact w ith spirits or the skv-god himself - and his emblem is often a bird, sometimes w orn in the form of a bird-mask.) See also Flying. Shaman.

(3) Because of its association with the shaman figure, a bird may symbolize some energy or function w’ithin your psyche that can bring vou healing or w holeness or balance.

(4) If the bird in the dream is taking wing, ask yourself if you, or some part of you, needs to take wing. Perhaps you are beginning to feel

shackled by circumstances. Perhaps it is a particular component of your unconscious psyche that needs to be given its freedom - that is, accepted into consciousness and incorporated into your (external) life. (Sky is often a symbol of consciousness, contrasted with earth or sea, which may be symbols of the unconscious.)

(5) If the bird is descending from the sky to you, you may need to consider another piece of bird symbolism. In mythology a bird, or a winged god (like the Roman Mercury), may serve as a messenger from the supreme deity. In psychological terms this may mean your dream is letting you know that your unconscious is offering you some great truth, some recipe for your healing, a solution of your problem(s), or the key to a new and fuller life.

Sometimes such a messenger bird is associated with the sun. The sun is a natural symbol of the source of truth (Might’) and of new life.

(6) Possibly, a bird may be a sexual symbol. Freud saw it as a symbol of the male penis; and for men who are accustomed to speaking of attractive women as ‘birds’, a bird in a dream may presumably have sexual meaning.

(7) A black bird, in addition to representing in a general way something in your unconscious, may symbolize the feminine in a negative aspect.

See Also: Woman.

(8) Carrion birds — vultures, crows, ravens and the like — are associated with death. Dreams do sometimes predict an event in the outside world, but such dreams are rare.

If death is referred to in a dream it is more likely to express your anxiety about death - your own or someone else’s.

Alternatively, the unconscious mav be telling you that some phase of your life, some habitual attachment or negative attitude, has gone on long enough, and the time is ripe for a change. In other words, the dream is calling for the death of something within you, to make way for a new development in your life and / or in your personality.

See Also: Vulture.

Birds, in general, mean success. Flying birds indicate a coming journey.

To have a bird land on your hand, arm, or head means an unexpected love is coming into your life.

To kill a bird, or find a dead bird, is an ill omen. Gypsies in different parts of England have different ideas about dreams concerning specific birds. Following are a few of those ideas:

Blackbird: A need for caution. Examine all business matters carefully.

Canary: Death of a friend.

A sudden departure.

A flying canary means temporary sickness.

Crow: You will be disappointed in an expectation and will have to make do with what you have.

Dove: Fidelity in love; happiness at home.

A flock of doves means an abundance of love and happiness. Two doves together mean reconciliation.

Eagle: A soaring eagle indicates great business success.

Falcon / Hawk: A soaring falcon or hawk, as with an eagle, means business success.

A swooping falcon or hawk means success in a legal matter.

To carry the bird on your arm and / or release it means to branch out, embracing new associates in your business or personal life.

Lark: A short vacation, with fun and relaxation.

Nightingale: To hear or see a nightingale is the forerunner of joyful news, great success in business, joy in love.

To hear a nightingale sing is to be assured of happiness.

Owl: You must give great thought to a coming problem, rather than making a snap decision.

If the owl flies away, you will find the problem is not as big as it seems.

To hear an owl hoot is to be warned of coming problems.

Parrot: Beware of slander. Don’t listen to gossip.

Peacock: To dream of a peacock is a sign of popularity, but beware of pride and vanity If it is a peacock which suddenly spreads its tail, beware of ostentation.

To hear a peacock scream means there is an approaching storm that will do you some damage. This could be a domestic or business “storm.”

Pigeon: To dream of a flying pigeon, according to Gypsies in Yorkshire, is to expect news in the form of a letter.

If you don’t see the pigeon land, it could be good or bad news.

If you see the bird land, then it is definitely good news.

Raven: A favorite bird of the Gypsies. Many dream books call this a bird of ill omen, but Romanis say that to dream of it signifies a family reunion with much happiness and joy to come.

If it is flying, the reunion will be unexpected; if at rest, it will be something you organize.

Swallow: Flying swallows mean happiness and good fortune. Nesting swallows mean close friendship.

Swan: You will have a happy and contented family life.

If there are young signets with the swan(s), then you will have children.

Vulture: Represents a bitter enemy.

To kill a vulture is to triumph over your enemy To see one devouring its prey is a warning about a lawsuit.

With the ability to fly, birds have always referred to freedom and spirituality. The flight across the boundless sky means that some aspect of your psyche provides fullness, restoration, and balance.

It is the soul’s desire to go beyond, to surpass. It may also symbolize that you want to get rid of everything you find banal. The unconscious may be providing solutions for your existence.

If you dream of releasing a bird, the same will apply to your emotions. On the other hand, birds indicate the status of your relationships. The thieves, like magpies, denote adultery or any other threat. Territorial ones, like blackbirds, can express envy. Finally, a flock of birds represents your desire to be part of a group that you admire. (See Also: WINGS)

For centuries, dreaming of birds has been a positive omen. Albatrosses bring fortune; vultures warn against gossip; crowing roosters announce good news; pigeons signify a peaceful solution to your problems; an eagle predicts success in business; geese express that you will have improvements soon; hawks portend a bright future; owls prevent some disappointments; storks predict problems in the family; and turkeys, finally, are bearers of bad luck, unless you kill them or eat them in the dream.

Birds represent physical and emotional freedom. They can also represent religious feelings. Some more meanings: Dreams of black birds represent the “dark side” of the dreamer’s personality.

To dream of bird poop is a lucky omen, foretelling good fortune.

To see bird eggs in your dream symbolizes money.

To see birds hatching in your dream means you will be successful in your goals, but not for a while.

To see a bird nest in your dream represents independence and the need for allies.

To dream of dead or dying birds foretells a period of coming disappointments. You will find yourself worrying over problems that are constantly on your mind.

To dream of aggresive birds (if they were attacking you, or killing people, in your dream) is a warning to be careful with those around you. Take notice on who you know in your waking life that could remind you of a bird, or who has a name that sounds like a bird’s name - this is the person to watch out for.

To dream of a cooked bird, suggests that you’re feeling guilty about something. You fear that someone will “find you out”, or believe they already have. Also see “Aviary” and “Birdcage”, “Birdhouse” and “Birdseed”, below.

To dream of a chirping and/or flying bird symbolizes passion, pleasure, and steadiness. You have a positive attitude towards your situation. Emotionally, burdens will be removed and you will find peace and solace.

To dream of dead or dying birds is an indication that you may be facing misfortune or anguish. Minor troubles will consistently plague your thoughts.

To see bird eggs in your dream represents possible prosperity and wealth.

To see birds hatching in your dream indicates that you will achieve a goal.

To see a bird nest in your dream indicates individualism, solace, and protection. You have to have a safety net in case you fail. It may also indicate a potentially successful venture or wealth.

See Also: Raven, Owl, Dove. Spiritual content.

An attempt to get a better perspective. This symbol also has an erotic meaning. In addition, it may imply that you want to be different, as in the myth of Icarus.

A flock of birds has a special meaning, since they seem to represent the intelligence of nature in their movement, an intelligence that is completely different from humans’. They express group will, in contrast to the will of the individual. In the ancient Welsh epic poem Mabinogion, the goddess Rhiannon is described as a flock of birds, since she symbolizes female wisdom in nature. However, a flock of birds, like a colony of insects, may also appear dangerous, as in Hitchcock’s film The Birds.

Songbirds are a universal symbol for happy news, especially if they are brightly colored and/or singing.

If they are flying, then your life is going to definitely take a turn for the better. Dead or injured birds, however, indicate either a halt to or a need to revise some of your plans for the future.

Birds of prey represent a warning: Someone is trying to take unfair advantage of you.

See “Eagle”, “Falcon”, “Hawk”.

Birds’ eggs in a nest indicate a new life full of hope - or this could possibly be a pun meaning money coming. In other words, you’ll soon acquire a “nest egg.” An empty nest hints at a change of residence.

Birds are usually considered a very good omen for the dreamer to receive and this is doubly true if the birds are brightly colored, singing, and flying about. Dead ,or dying, birds foretell a period of coming disappointments and worries, while dreaming of the beak of a bird means you will soon change your place of residence. Birds eggs in a nest signifies money, but to see them broken then you will experience a loss of money.

If you see birds hatching, then your success will be delayed; an empty nest warns against becoming involved in other peoples arguments.

Dreams of birds represent imagination, intuition, angels, creativity, and a desire for freedom. Perhaps you are in the midst of leaving the nest toward a more expansive reality.

If the bird is injured or caged this represents that your freedom feels thwarted. Your dream may be suggesting that you open up your cage, spread your wings and venture out beyond your -imposed restraints.

A messenger, and the type and color determine the type of message; research accordingly

Spiritual freedom; ability to soar to higher awareness. Freedom from material ties.

Birds signify transcendence from one state of being to another; spiritual growth.

A messenger, Eccl. 10:20