Hummingbird Tattoos
If you’re searching for a tattoo that is as strong and powerful as it is delicate and charming, look no further than the noble hummingbird.
Hummingbirds frequently appear in pop culture, art pieces, and tattoo designs.
You may think hummingbird tattoos are so popular because of their beautiful jewel-like colors, and you are partially right!
But hummingbirds have a lot more to offer than pretty feathers.
With the advent of more delicate techniques in the tattoo world, lines can be softer and colors more vibrant.
Hummingbirds are a popular choice for a bold tattoo that looks light and airy.
While hummingbirds have become quite popular, you shouldn’t feel discouraged about getting your hummingbird tattoo.
This is a tattoo you can make your own with a little research.
One may choose to get a hummingbird tattoo after a rough period of their life as a memento of their progress.
If you’re thinking of getting a hummingbird tattoo, you’ll treasure it even more after reading about these feisty little guys.
Hummingbird Tattoo Meanings
Hummingbird tattoos have many different meanings in many different cultures so if you are considering getting one then it would be very wise to do some research first.
Before you get any tattoo, you want to make sure you know what it means so you don’t get anything permanently inked onto your body that you might regret later.
However, hummingbird tattoos all generally have positive meanings, no matter what the culture, so no worries there!
Often, hummingbird tattoos represent overcoming difficult times and various obstacles in life.
Hummingbird tattoos also represent joy, love, and life.
As bird tattoos typically represent freedom, a hummingbird tattoo may also represent freedom for the person getting the tattoo.
Someone who gets a hummingbird tattoo may get one to represent their own personal freedom and identify themselves as a free spirit.
Because the hummingbird is small, a tattoo of the bird may also serve as a reminder to enjoy the small things in life and appreciate their value.
Based on their “small but mighty” existence, the hummingbird tattoo often symbolizes perseverance and endurance.
Hummingbird tattoos represent many things but here are some of the most common:
- Strength and hard work
Many people choose to get hummingbird tattoos to represent overcoming life’s challenges and to show that they have made it through tough times.
The hummingbird eats more than 50 times a day because they are burning so many calories when they are flying.
They have to work really hard just to stay alive and this is portrayed through the tattoo.
- Living life to the fullest
Since the hummingbird has to work so hard to stay alive, a hummingbird tattoo is a great reminder to live your life to the fullest and enjoy every second of it.
A tattoo like this will serve as a wonderful daily reminder, especially if you get it put in a place where you can see it every day.
- Attraction and affection
In a lot of cultures including the Aztecs which we will talk about shortly, hummingbirds symbolize love and attraction.
This is just one of the many beautiful meanings behind the hummingbird tattoo and it is definitely a great one to have inked on your body.
- Hummingbird Tattoo Meaning in Prison
As we now know, there are many different meanings behind hummingbird tattoos and the same goes for prison tattoos.
Hummingbird tattoos in prison indicate that the wearer is a member of the Mexican mafia and the bird is meant to symbolize the Aztec god of war, Huitzilopochtli.
Main Themes in Hummingbird Tattoos
Hummingbird tattoos are beautiful enough to stand alone, but sometimes you want to enhance the atmosphere of your tattoo.
It can be fun to give your subject matter somewhere to “live” on your body.
The main themes of hummingbird tattoos are based on the hummingbird’s symbolism and representation of living and appreciating your life.
Adding additional symbols to a hummingbird tattoo can heighten or alter the symbolism of this gorgeous imagery.
If you are thinking of adding some sweet accents to your hummingbird tattoo, here are some popular ideas we’ve seen:
Hummingbird Tattoos with Flower Tattoos
If you’re a fan of color, a vibrant creature could only be made more beautiful by a brilliant bloom!
Hummingbird tattoos are always associated with flower tattoos, as that is where they get their energy from.
Hummingbirds and flowers are natural friends since the hummingbird is one of nature’s greatest pollinators.
A hummingbird tattoo with flower tattoos is a wonderful way to pay homage to your love of nature.
Combining a hummingbird with flower tattoos creates a beautiful, natural scene, perfect for any tattoo.
The hummingbird tattoo can serve as a centerpiece amongst the floral landscape.
Hibiscus & Hummingbird Tattoos
The hibiscus tattoo can have many interpretations on its own, often symbolizing femininity or a love for tropical locales.
Hibiscus tattoos can also represent youthful beauty.
Paired with the energetic hummingbird, this may conjure images of joy and playfulness.
The hibiscus and hummingbird tattoos are also both associated with sexual energy by some, so a hibiscus and hummingbird tattoo may be a fun way to infuse a little sexiness into your everyday routine.
For purely aesthetic reasons, hummingbird tattoos and hibiscus flower tattoos complement one another in a tattoo.
The bright luscious hues of hibiscus will make a dazzling combo with the jewel tones of a hummingbird.
Rose with Hummingbird Tattoos
Rose tattoos are most often associated with romantic love and make for a gorgeous pairing with our friend the hummingbird.
Because hummingbirds are thought to be love charms, a rose and hummingbird tattoo may be the perfect way to invite some loving energy into your life.
Generally, rose tattoos hold a meaning of love and romantic energy.
A lot of cultures believe that hummingbirds bring love and attraction so getting a rose tattoo with a hummingbird tattoo might just welcome some romantic energy into your life as well.
This tattoo may also be a nice subtle dedication to someone you love.
Not to mention that roses are a very common and beautiful flower to add to any tattoo.
Cherry Blossom & Hummingbird Tattoos
Cherry blossom tattoos are well known for their symbolism.
In Japan, where they are most commonly found, they represent everything beautiful and temporary.
The cherry blossoms only bloom for a short time, but they’re so beautiful that everyone takes time out of their day to enjoy them.
Cherry blossom and hummingbird tattoos are representative of living in the moment because cherry blossoms are only in bloom for a short amount of time and hummingbirds move so quickly that this tattoo is a reminder to slow down and enjoy the moment that you are currently in.
Because a hummingbird moves so quickly, cherry blossom and hummingbird tattoos can be a poignant reminder to live in the now and appreciate what you have.
We spend so much time thinking about what we are going to be doing in the future that we forget life is happening all around us so if this is a message that you resonate with, consider adding cherry blossoms to your hummingbird tattoo.
Lotus & Hummingbird Tattoo
Lotus flower tattoos symbolize overcoming adversity and blooming even when the circumstances might not be right.
This coincides perfectly with hummingbird tattoos because they are symbols of strength and resilience.
Putting these two together create not only a beautiful message about standing strong and overcoming hardship but also creates a beautiful piece of tattoo art on your body as well.
Nature Tattoos & Hummingbird Tattoos
Better yet, why not incorporate your hummingbird tattoo into a natural landscape?
In nature tattoos, you can mix multiple meaningful designs.
Choose flowers, plants, and tree tattoos that have significance to you, and then decide where to place your friend the hummingbird.
A dreamy landscape tattoo is the perfect setting to feature the hummingbird in their natural habitat.
You can place your hummingbird tattoo in a large natural scene – serving as a great piece for a bigger tattoo or a potential tattoo sleeve.
The result is a stunning, resonant tattoo piece that’s uniquely you.
Hummingbird and Tree Tattoos
A hummingbird moves quickly from flower to flower, but even this fast-moving creature has to catch its breath!
When you tattoo a hummingbird in “rest mode,” you can capture more of its details.
For people who like to keep busy, this tattoo design may be a nice reminder to take a breather every once in a while.
Dream Catcher with Hummingbird Tattoos
Dream catchers have origins with the Ojibwe peoples but spread out to other Native American tribes over time.
Now they are well known and widely used.
A dream catcher is most often hung above a baby or child as they sleep.
The idea is that nightmares will get tangled up in the “web” of the dream catcher, while the feathers allow pleasant dreams to enter the child’s head.
Because hummingbirds are seen as messengers in some Native American tribes, this makes for a powerful combo.
Dream catcher tattoos with hummingbirds can represent a desire for prophetic dreams or messages from your ancestors.
For a person from an Ojibwe background, it can make a beautiful memorial tattoo
Hummingbird Skull Tattoos
Hummingbird skull tattoos are a wonderfully multilayered take on the hummingbird tattoo that can sometimes seem contradictory at first glance.
While hummingbird tattoos symbolize love and joy, skull tattoos symbolize loss and sadness.
These tattoos are wonderful for people who wish to embody these two contradictory symbols.
The bright, vibrant color schemes usually associated with the hummingbird help this tattoo choice stand out in a crowd, while its dark undertones give it that extra hint of mystery and intrigue.
Maybe you’d like to remember the loss of someone who brought you joy.
Maybe you’d like a reminder that all good things come to an end.
Hummingbird & Butterfly Tattoos
Butterfly tattoos typically represent a period of transformation and growth so when they are combined with a hummingbird tattoo the meaning just becomes more powerful.
Since hummingbird tattoos are all about overcoming adversity, this tattoo represents growing and becoming stronger as a person.
Hummingbird Tattoo Designs
If you’re feeling inspired by hummingbirds and feel like getting a tattoo of one, there’s really no reason not to!
Hummingbirds come in a variety of different colors to suit your personality, and they make for a beautiful tattoo.
Check out our hummingbird tattoo gallery for an extra dose of inspiration!
- Realistic Hummingbird Tattoos
Realistic hummingbird tattoos have a crisp, colorful, HD quality.
If you’ve been watching a lot of Planet Earth and want a piece of that breathtaking cinematography for yourself, a realistic tattoo design will fulfill your hummingbird tattoo dreams.
- Realistic Black & Grey Hummingbird Tattoos
Just because hummingbirds are colorful creatures, doesn’t mean they won’t look amazing in black and grey.
A black and grey portrait tattoo is a thing of beauty.
This tattoo style is wonderful for capturing texture and detail.
If you want your hummingbird to look like it was torn from the pages of a nature photography magazine, consider a realistic black and grey hummingbird tattoo.
- Single Needle Hummingbird Tattoos
Because hummingbirds are so small and delicate, they often appeal to someone who wants a micro tattoo.
To fit a lot of detail in a small space, and have it age well, is no small feat!
In a single needle tattoo, the artist uses one single needle as the name implies.