Birds in mythology have diverse roles and attributes, varying by culture. They can be associated with deities, symbolize concepts, and serve as messengers. Some birds are seen as sacred or divine, while others are fictional creatures such as the phoenix and roc.
The roles of birds in mythology are almost as diverse as the various types of birds found in stories and legends from around the world. Birds are often associated with particular deities or deities in various traditions, sometimes acting as deities themselves and other times aiding deities or symbolizing deities. Some birds are associated with good wishes and positive ideas, while other birds are often seen as harbingers of doom or death. There are also a number of examples of fabulous and fictional birds in mythology, such as the phoenix.
Birds in mythology are often given a number of different roles and attributes, depending on the culture from which the stories about them arise. In some traditions, a bird is responsible for creating the universe, including stories where the world hatches from a golden egg and others where a bird dives into the ocean and pulls up the earth under the water. There are some mythologies where birds are seen as sacred or divine. Egyptian mythology tells of the bird Benu who was the world’s first creature and brought the other gods into the world, while Central American myths often surrounded Quetzalcoatl, a fantastical deity who combined elements of a bird and a snake.
There are also numerous instances of birds in mythology serving symbolic purposes. Some birds are used as messengers for the gods, while others are directly associated with certain gods, such as an owl as a symbol of the Greek goddess Athena. The Norse god Odin is accompanied by two ravens, called Huginn and Muninn for “thought” and “memory”, who tell him of events on Earth.
Birds in mythology also often represent certain ideas or concepts. Ravens and crows have been associated with death and strife, possibly due to their presence on battlefields to feed on corpses. Doves are often associated with hope and love and are seen in some traditions as representative of the human soul. Many birds are associated with the idea of a soul and their flight is seen as symbolic of the journey of human consciousness after death.
There are also a number of birds in mythology that are fictional creatures. This includes the roc, a huge bird from Arabian tales. The phoenix is a mythological bird said to be immortal. At the end of a phoenix’s life, the phoenix catches fire and burns into an egg, from which a fully grown phoenix emerges when it hatches.
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