Birds have fascinated humans for millennia. Their ability to fly captivated our imaginations. Their songs moved our spirits. Is it any wonder that birds came to hold an important place in many mythologies and religions? Let’s explore some of the major bird gods from around the world.
Anzu
Anzu was a divine mythical bird from ancient Mesopotamian mythology. He was seen as a lion-headed eagle and lived in the mythical Dilmun, a sacred place. Anzu was associated with the god Ninurta and was seen as a divine power that could confer kingship. The Anzu myth focused on Ninurta’s battle with Anzu after the bird stole the Tablet of Destinies, which legitimized the rule of the gods. After slaying Anzu, Ninurta regained the tablet and was elevated to a higher role in the pantheon.
Garuda
In Hindu mythology, Garuda is a divine bird-like creature. He has the body, wings, beak, and talons of an eagle but a human torso and arms. Garuda is the vahana (vehicle) of the god Vishnu and is depicted as carrying Vishnu on his back. He is the sworn enemy of all serpents. His strength and speed are unmatched, and he is so powerful that he can block out the sun. Various legends describe Garuda’s exploits, such as stealing the elixir of immortality from the gods. As a protector against evil, Garuda remains an important figure in Hinduism today.
Horus
Horus is one of the most significant ancient Egyptian gods. He was often depicted as a falcon or as a man with a falcon’s head. According to myth, Horus was the son of Osiris and Isis. After Osiris was murdered by Set, Horus battled Set to avenge his father and became the ruler of Egypt. He was associated with the sky, war, hunting, and kingship. As a sky god, the eye of Horus represented the sun or moon. The Eye of Horus remains a powerful symbol of protection in Egypt and beyond.
Phoenix
The phoenix is a mythical sacred firebird found in the mythologies of the ancient Greeks, Egyptians, Romans, and Chinese. It was said to live for 500 years before igniting itself into flames. Then, a new phoenix would rise fresh and youthful from the ashes. As a symbol of renewal, the phoenix came to represent resurrection, immortality, and life after death. The brilliant plumage and singing ability of the phoenix also inspired awe and wonder. Although mythical, the majestic phoenix remains a popular symbol today.
Thoth
Thoth was the god of wisdom, writing, magic and the moon in ancient Egyptian religion. He was often depicted as a man with the head of an ibis or baboon. The clever ibis used its long beak to sift through mud for food, so it became a symbol of Thoth’s ability to find knowledge. According to myth, Thoth enabled the god Ra to create the world by dividing chaos from order. He later weighed the hearts of deceased humans against the feather of truth to determine if they would enter the afterlife. Thoth’s wisdom and magic provided vital order in Egyptian mythology.
Ra
Ra was the ancient Egyptian sun god, considered the father of all pharaohs. He was depicted as a falcon-headed man wearing a solar disk and cobra. At sunrise, Ra emerged from the east in his sun boat to travel across the sky, bringing sunlight and warmth. At sunset, he entered the underworld where he took the form of a ram during the night. The next day, he was reborn to repeat the cycle. Ra’s creative power was linked to the cycles of the sun that supported all life on earth.
Quetzalcoatl
In Mesoamerican mythologies, Quetzalcoatl was a feathered serpent deity worshipped by the Aztecs and Mayans. He was associated with the wind, the dawn, merchants, arts, and crafts. Quetzalcoatl created humanity along with the world and all its plants. He gave maize to humans and taught them writing, agriculture and knowledge. After leaving on a raft of serpents, he promised to return one day. The god’s name combines quetzal, a brightly colored Mesoamerican bird, and coatl, the Nahuatl word for serpent.
Simurgh
The Simurgh was a fantastical winged creature in Iranian mythology that lived for 1,700 years before plunging itself into flames. The Simurgh was considered all-knowing and lived on the legendary Mount Alborz. Its feathers were said to be the color of copper, and it adorned itself with the finest jewels. When the Simurgh took flight, the flapping of its wings would spread seeds of fertility. It was associated with purity, healing and life itself. The Simurgh remains an important motif in Iranian art and literature.
Fenghuang
The Fenghuang is a mythical bird found in Chinese mythology that reigns among all flying birds. It is associated with peace, prosperity and renewal. Pairs of male and female Fenghuang were thought to signal a new era by bringing good tidings. They are characterized by their melodious song, colorful plumage, and ability to soar without flying for long periods. As a symbol, the Fenghuang is commonly used on Chinese New Year decorations or at weddings to represent joy and harmony.
Turul
The Turul is a giant mythical falcon in Hungarian mythology, said to be the ancestor of all Hungarian tribes. According to legend, a Turul bird impregnated Emese, the grandmother of Álmos, who founded the first Hungarian dynasty. The Turul was considered a divine guide that led the Hungarians to their homeland. It was seen as a symbol of power, strength, nobility and freedom. Over time, the Turul became part of the official Hungarian coat of arms and was displayed on flags or worn as insignia by Hungarian soldiers.
Roc
The Roc or Rukh is an enormous legendary bird of prey in Middle Eastern and South Asian folklore. It was said to be big enough to carry off elephants. In the famous Tales of the Arabian Nights, Sindbad the Sailor encountered a massive Roc bird with a huge hairy head on his fifth voyage. He witnessed the Roc carry off a whale in its talons. When its egg broke after falling, the liquid inside formed a salty sea. The mythical Roc represented the impossible wonders of the world.
Thunderbird
The Thunderbird is a legendary creature in North American indigenous cultures. It is considered a supernatural bird of power and strength associated with thunder, lightning and storms. The Thunderbird is described as having an enormous wingspan and flashing eyes that shoot lightning. Thunderbirds were either benevolent, protecting humans from evil spirits, or malevolent, dark creatures associated with witchcraft. Capturing a Thunderbird meant harnessing the power of thunderstorms. Thunderbirds feature prominently in the mythology of indigenous peoples across the Pacific Northwest and Great Lakes regions.
Owlman
In English folklore, Owlman is a giant humanoid owl-like creature that inhabits the Mawnan area of Cornwall. He is sometimes seen as the Cornish equivalent of Scotland’s Bigfoot. According to various accounts, Owlman has large wings, glowing eyes, and large talons. He is often associated with the ruins of Mawnan Old Church, and some believe him to be an ancient pagan spirit whose habitat was disrupted by the church’s construction in medieval times. Owlman has been spotted by multiple eyewitnesses down the years, including in 1976 and 2011.
Aesir
In Norse mythology, the two ravens Huginn (Thought) and Muninn (Memory or Mind) served as scouts for the most important god Odin. As birds sacred to Odin, they flew around the world daily and reported back what they saw and heard. Given names meaning ‘thought’ and ‘memory’, Huginn and Muninn represented Odin’s intellectual abilities. Their presence illustrated Odin’s power, and their sight and mind allowed him to observe all that occurred in Midgard. Huginn and Muninn continue to be prominent symbols in Norse culture today.
Basan
In Japanese folklore, the Basan is a legendary fire-breathing chicken or chicken-like creature. It is described as having the body of a chicken, tail of a snake, and legs covered in iron scales. The Basan’s call was said to sound like scraping metal. According to some stories, the terrifying Basan had an appetite for humans and would hunt them. It was eventually killed by a hero named Tawara Toda. The Basan has become a popular creature in Japanese artworks, illustrated books, video games, and anime.
Sirens
In Greek mythology, the Sirens were dangerous yet beautiful creatures who lured nearby sailors with their enchanting music and singing voices to shipwreck on the rocky coast of their island. They have the body of a bird and the head of a woman. Odysseus was curious to hear the Sirens’ song and wanted to avoid crashing his ship. To solve this, he had his sailors plug their ears with beeswax and tie him to the mast so he could hear their song. This allowed Odysseus to experience the beauty of the Sirens without peril.
Stymphalian Birds
In Greek mythology, the Stymphalian Birds were destructive man-eating birds with beaks of bronze and sharp metallic feathers they could launch at their victims. They were sacred to the god Ares and wreaked havoc on the countryside, destroying crops, fruit trees, and townspeople. The legendary Sixth Labor of Heracles involved killing the predatory Stymphalian Birds. Heracles used a rattle given by the goddess Athena to startle the birds into flight before shooting them down with his bow and arrow.
Conclusion
Birds have long captured the human imagination and come to hold major symbolic roles in myths and folklore across cultures. Their ability to traverse between earth and sky led to associations with the divine. Godly traits became embedded in bird iconography, from thunderstorms to the sun itself. The majesty and freedom of birds inspired fantastical imaginings too, in creatures like the immense Roc and the eternal Phoenix. Whether as noble messengers or chaotic tricksters, birds sculpted the pantheons and religions of the ancient world and beyond.