Hummingbird Tattoo

The maximally small size, swiftness during flight and brightness of plumage – this is all about just one bird called the hummingbird. This impressive representative of the family of feathered birds simply could not help but become the motif for the modern tattoo.

The meaning of the hummingbird tattoo

You would be very mistaken if you call hummingbird tattoos a “modern-day trend.” It is known that some tribes of Indians in those ancient times put on their bodies symbolic images of this bird. They put into this picture a very deep meaning – cheerfulness, wealth and love.

This bird in terms of symbolism combines different characteristics, viz:

  • The cuteness of the appearance;
  • Tenderness – this impression arises because of the peculiarities of this bird’s movement and fragility;
  • Lightness – this is obvious because of its small size;
  • Excitement – this can also be explained by the peculiarities of hummingbird movement.

These birds soar, hover in the air and change direction very quickly. All this was enough motive to attribute magical properties to the feathery and consider it sacred.

Most often, the hummingbird tattoo is in the form of bright feathers collected in the silhouette of the bird. This image is attributed a number of values – the ardor and perdition of love, elusiveness and transience. In general, the hummingbird symbol can reveal different facets of human character and energy. The symbol also carries sexual connotations.

In some cultures, the hummingbirds were considered a symbol of nature, but they were also considered a symbol of sexual attraction. Some people saw them as a reincarnation of the human soul, and seeing a pair of hummingbirds said they were two soul mates, who have not parted even after death.

Mostly today the symbolism of hummingbirds is interpreted as follows:

  • Brightness of appearance;
  • Sexuality;
  • Tenderness;
  • Quickness;
  • Colorfulness of life;
  • The ability to find a way out of any situation.

The position of the soaring bird also has significance when interpreting the tattoo. If the bird is depicted flying down, it symbolizes the end of a happy life. And a soaring hummingbird upwards represents the beginning of a joyous period.

In general, you can look for your own meanings in the hummingbird image. Very often such a tattoo marks important and bright events – the meeting of the love of a lifetime, the birth of a child, the victory over an illness and so on. But most often such a tattoo is applied for the purpose of attracting attention.

The meaning of tattoos for men and women

The hummingbird symbol is a typical body decoration for gentle women. However, men can also choose this particular bird for a tattoo, as it has such meanings:

  • Power;
  • Speed;
  • Pursuit of wealth;
  • Strong feelings for a woman;
  • The importance of the sexual aspect of life.

Men most often try to choose more brutal sketches. These drawings are most often created in the styles of tribal, ethnics, graphics and realism.

As for the female hummingbird tattoo, it is considered organic and even typical. Such a drawing can very accurately reveal a woman’s appearance and character. Regarding the stylistics, then most often the preference is given to sketches in the style of watercolor, realism and 3D.

Styles and places of application

Above it was already mentioned in passing about the stylistics of execution of sketches for tattoos with the image of a hummingbird, but the proposed options – that’s not all. We advise to pay attention to the works in the style of minimalism and old-school. But these are not all styles of hummingbird tattoos, we should not forget about non-standard author’s works – they are great.

As for the location of the hummingbird tattoo, it all depends on the wishes of the client of the tattoo salon and the size of the selected sketch. Most often such a tattoo can be seen on the shoulder, shin, hip or back. But you can choose the place for the tattoo at your own discretion.