How you feel when you see a blackbird may depend heavily on the culture in which you were raised.
In some places, the blackbird comes to bring you good news or to connect you to the spiritual. But it can also appear with dark tidings, and messages from other worlds.
The blackbird is found in many countries around the globe. Small and dark, it has a habit of appearing and disappearing at speed.
But that doesn’t mean it’s rare to spot a blackbird. Instead, these loyal birds work hard to defend their territory.
Blackbirds bring with them associations of the spiritual and the occult, but also loyalty and devotion to their families.

When you feel a connection to the blackbird, or they start to appear to you, it can be a time for contemplation. Read this guide to find out all you need to know about this mysterious bird.
RELATED: Albatross: Spiritual Meaning, Dream Meaning, Symbolism And More
Blackbird Symbolism & Meaning
With quick flight and dark wings, the blackbirds can appear in one heartbeat, and be gone in the next.
Fluttering just out of sight, but with a presence and a song that makes itself known, the blackbird is a bird of mystery. Throughout history, the charming black bird has sometimes been seen as a bad omen.
The dark color and the name of the blackbird can be misleading — in many cases, they aren’t actually black.
And unlike other dark birds, such as the raven or crow, the blackbird is relatively small. But all this has only built on their image of being deceptive, tricky, and secretive.
Although the blackbird can be a symbol of the dark, it’s also been used to symbolize the spiritual. The blackbird can act as a messenger between worlds, flitting between one realm and the next.
The symbol of the blackbird may come as a warning, but it doesn’t have to be bad.
In fact, when a blackbird comes to you, it may be bringing good news or advice. This can make interpreting the blackbird a personal act.
Blackbird Spirit Animal
Blackbirds are quick in the air, so you may not notice at first when one flies into your life. Listen for the blackbird song, which can often echo even when the bird is nowhere to be seen.
The song of the blackbird is one of its most defining features.
When a blackbird spirit animal comes to you, this may be a sign that you need to rethink your communication methods.
Be aware of words that are too harsh, and maybe damaging relationships. Or it could be a sign that you need to communicate more, even just to share kind words.
Blackbirds are highly territorial creatures, and a blackbird spirit animal might come to teach you to be aware of your territory. Stay alert for those who might be encroaching on your home.
A highly spiritual creature, the blackbird may appear to guide you on a quest. Those with a blackbird spirit animal tend to have incredible intuition, and it’s important you learn to trust it.
The blackbird aids exploration and learning, and with one by your side, you can begin to feel confident on your chosen path in life.
But be wary if the blackbird only flits in and out quickly. This can be a sign that something is amiss.
Blackbird Totem Animal
Those born under the blackbird totem tend to be incredibly creative, particularly when it comes to music. Like the blackbird’s song, you are capable of creating beautiful things.
Artistic expression is a common trait of those with the black bird totem.
While the blackbird may be confident in their creative abilities, they tend to be shy in other aspects of life. They form tight circles and can be wary of new people.
Despite this shyness, the blackbird is naturally curious, and so are those with the blackbird totem.
They’re excited to learn and relish the opportunity to travel. But they’re also sensible. They can think clearly and cautiously, and approach adventure as a puzzle to be solved.

Those with the blackbird totem are secretive and mysterious.
As well as keeping their own secrets, they are perceptive about things other people might be trying to hide. If you have a friend with a black bird totem, they might know more about you than you realize!
Charismatic and positive, blackbird people are naturally drawn to leadership roles.
They have the emotional intelligence, self-awareness, intuition, and self-belief that make them perfect for these positions.
RELATED: Red Bird: Spiritual Meaning, Dream Meaning, Symbolism And More
Blackbird Power Animal
If you need to call on your blackbird power animal, then you may be searching out secrets.
It might be that something is being kept hidden from you, and you need the keen eye of the black bird to sort things out.
Blackbirds are territorial and will fight to keep their boundaries safe.
A blackbird power animal can help you when you need to protect the things you love. With their intuition and devotion, a black bird power animal can help in times of crisis.
But a blac kbird power animal can also help you to adapt and change, rather than fight back. Blackbirds are intelligent, and they have had to transform to adapt to the world around them.
The ancient wisdom of the black bird can ease you through difficult times, and help you come out better.
Blackbirds have long been a symbol of the occult, and a blackbird power animal can act as a steady guide on a spiritual journey.
Ask your blackbird power animal how to navigate sacred spaces, and find your place in the spiritual world.
With their wisdom and emotional intelligence, the blackbird power animal offers guidance through a variety of circumstances, both good and bad.

Black bird Native American Symbolism
For many of the Plains Indians, the black bird was seen as a symbol of corn.
To the Arikara and Mandans, the black bird acted as a servant of the Corn Mother and could be considered sacred.
When blackbirds descended on the crops, the Sioux people believed they were being punished for not honoring the corn.
The Chumash people would gather for ceremonial parties, and perform dances to honor the creatures of the world. One of these dances was in honor of the black bird.
Some Alabama myths tell the story of how the blackbirds came to be:
The Big Man-eater kidnapped a woman, and when he couldn’t find anything to eat, told her to roast herself. The woman ran away, throwing huckleberries and cane to slow the Big Man-eater down.
When he’d nearly caught up to the woman, her brothers attacked and killed the Big Man-eater. They burned the body and threw the ashes into the air.
These ashes transformed into the blackbirds and the bees.
RELATED: Mockingbird: Spiritual Meaning, Dream Meaning, Symbolism & More
Celtic Symbolism
In Celtic symbolism, we see the blackbirds most in the story of Rhiannon. Rhiannon is an Otherworld woman in the Mabinogi, a Welsh story collection.
Rhiannon’s birds were able to sing the living to sleep and to wake the dead.
Celtic legends often placed the blackbirds between worlds. They spoke of both the Otherworld and our world and were connected to life and death.
With their dark wings and mysterious movements, the blackbird was frequently seen as a bad omen.
Christianity Symbolism
The black bird in Christianity has often been used as a signal for darkness, and for evil.
In the Medieval Bestiary, the black bird was representative of those tempted by carnal desires. The temptations of the black bird were meant to be resisted, by any means possible.
A white black bird would then symbolize those with discipline, and purity. The Bestiary recognized the sweet song of the black bird, and how it could bring delight to those who listened.
And this wasn’t the only time the black bird was seen as a symbol of temptation.
Saint Benedict lived a venerable life and spent several years as a hermit. However, the devil wasn’t finished with Benedict and sent a black bird to flutter in his face and bring back emotional memories.
But there are some more pleasant associations with blackbirds.
In the song The Twelve Days of Christmas, the true love gives “four calling birds”, or “four colly birds”. “Colly”, meaning “coal-black”, was used to describe the black bird.

Blackbird Dreams
If a flock of blackbirds flies into your dreams, it’s a sign that changes are coming. These are typically good changes, especially if the birds are singing.
If the birds are silent, you may be about to undergo a spiritual transformation. You must learn to embrace these changes, and adapt to them.
But if a single black bird appears to you, it can come as a warning. Be wary of those around you, and keep your secrets close. This is particularly true if a single black bird appears at your window.
Blackbirds can be trickster birds, and when blackbirds appear in your dreams, they can indicate a mystery.
The black bird might be trying to teach you about yourself, or indicate that you have desires and potential going unmet.
RELATED: Bluebird: Spiritual Meaning, Dream Meaning, Symbolism, & More
Blackbird Tattoo Meaning
A blackbird tattoo can be a very beautiful way of expressing your connection to this incredible bird.
As a bird with a distinctive song, the black bird tattoo can be a way to express your creativity and your love of art and music.
Blackbirds have often been used as a symbol of the spiritual, and an omen from the Otherworld. A blackbird tattoo can show your connection to this spiritual side.
Those who are following a path to a more spiritual life may choose a black bird tattoo as a reminder of this journey.
As well as representing the spiritual, the black bird can represent the mysterious and the unknown.
By choosing a black bird tattoo, you can express your inquisitive nature, and your desire to find out more about the world.
Spiritual Meaning

Blackbirds have frequently been seen as spiritual animals, although not always in a good way.
With their dark feathers and fast-flying bodies, the blackbird was sometimes seen as a messenger from the Otherworld.
The blackbird bought with it dark omens and warnings. When a blackbird came to you, it was a sign to be wary.
But their spiritual connection doesn’t have to be bad. A blackbird can bring good messages, and it can also guide you on your own spiritual quests.
Many cultures have seen the blackbird as an ancient bird, with deep wisdom. As they can exist between worlds, the blackbird can provide a connection to the mysterious.
Blackbirds are also seen as a symbol of expression. The blackbird can help you discover more about yourself, including your connection to the spiritual.
A symbol of both artistic expression and a fierce defense of territory, the blackbird helps you to speak up, and believe in yourself.
RELATED: Finch: Spiritual Meaning, Dream Meaning, Symbolism & More
Blackbird In Astrology And Zodiac Signs
Despite their dark coloring and associations with the Otherworld, the blackbird is rarely seen as a symbol in astrology or the zodiac.
Rather than being nighttime or daytime birds, blackbirds are typically used to symbolize dusk.
However, Scorpios with a connection to the blackbird may find themselves more spiritual than those around them and enjoy the mysteries of life.
Blackbird In Cuban & African Folklore
In Ancient Egypt, the blackbird was seen to symbolize rebirth.
As the blackbird visited Egypt over the warmer winter months and disappeared in the hot summer, they were seen as a representation of the cycle of life.
Symbolic Meaning
- Intelligence.
- Intuition.
- Magic.
- The Otherworld.
- Mystery.
- Secrets.
- The nocturnal.
- Protection.
- Spiritual Guidance.
Final Thoughts
Blackbirds have often been seen as an omen of bad luck, but they represent so much more than that.
Having a blackbird as a power animal or totem is a good thing, as their fierce protective instincts and high intelligence can keep you and those you love protected.
Blackbirds were frequently seen as messengers of the spiritual world, but that doesn’t mean the messages are bad. It simply means the blackbird can bridge the gap between you and your spiritual path.
When a blackbird makes itself known to you, it’s a time for self-reflection.
Blackbirds are intelligent and creative, and by exploring your inner secrets, you can become your authentic self.
But always heed their warnings! Blackbirds may be tricksters, but you should be able to figure them out.
RELATED: Barn Owl: Spiritual Meaning, Dream Meaning, Symbolism & More