8 Vulture Tattoo Designs For Men & Women

Vultures are a scavenging species, known for their distinctive features and diet of carcass and carrion. In many cultures, they symbolize protection, power, and rebirth, which makes them great additions to body art. Vulture tattoos can seem intense and convey a range of ideas, from victory over death to acceptance of mortality. They are often large, detailed pieces with the striking use of bright colors, such as yellow, red, orange, and white. So if you are looking to cover a considerable area of your body with a powerful and bold statement piece, you can get a vulture tattoo to evoke a sense of both awe and reverence. Keep scrolling to take a look at some trendy vulture tattoo designs.

Meaning Of A Vulture Tattoo

Vulture symbolism is a mixed bag. Where on the one side, vultures are also known for wisdom, intelligence, and foresight, they are also associated with death and considered a bad omen because they feed on carcasses. Elsewhere, they are also considered lucky as they are seen as a cleansing presence, clearing nature of decay and signifying rebirth/renewal, protection, patience, and new beginnings.

These fierce birds also have deep-rooted cultural symbolism. Here is a brief glimpse of a few of them.

• Egypt: The vulture was a sacred bird associated with Nekhbet, the goddess of Egypt. Vultures symbolized maternal protection as they were believed to fiercely guard their young, and were often depicted in hieroglyphs and royal insignia.
• India: In the Mahabharata, the divine vulture Jatayu, is a heroic figure who self-immolates attempting to save Sita from Ravana. His tale depicts characteristics of heroism, loyalty, and selfless nature.
• Tibet: Vultures play an important role in the Tibetan sky burial ritual of excarnation. This practice signifies the impermanence of life and gives back to nature. As per Tibetan culture, the largest role of vultures is in exposing the dead in the “Towers of Silence.” It follows the main principles of reverence for the purity of earth, fire, and water.
• Africa: In many African cultures, vultures represent the ecological roles that may prevent disease through carrion-eating.
• West: In the Western world, vultures are often depicted as evil or foreboding creatures in literature and the media, since they symbolize death.
• Native American Culture: In Mayan and Aztec theologies, Vultures were viewed as purification and rebirth symbols.

Vulture tattoos can encourage the wearer to remember to look beyond the surface and look at life from a bird’s eye view, taking in the bigger picture rather than being stuck in the smaller details. Vultures are also admired for their ability to soar high in the sky, which can also serve as a source of inspiration for you to strive for greatness and break free from the shackles that limit you.

8 Best Vulture Tattoos For An Awesome Look

Vulture tattoos on your skin make you look badass. While they carry their own significance, you can combine them with customized details to make them uniquely yours. The tattoo designs below also exude power, confidence, and protectiveness as well as show delicate artistry. Check out these designs for some much-needed inspiration.

1. Black Vulture Tattoo

If you are someone who naturally gravitates towards bird tattoo design, especially big, bold, and powerful artworks, then consider getting this black vulture tattoo. This symbolizes courage and strength in the face of insurmountable challenges. The impressively done gradual shading using just black instills realism into the tattoo. The inkwork features a black vulture surrounded by green foliage to provide the design with a refreshing framework. The sky in the backdrop is painted in pink, orange, and red hues to indicate the break of day and symbolize renewal.

2. Flying Vulture Tattoo

Vultures get a bad reputation for being around death and their diet of carrion, but this glorious flying vulture tattoo shows us just how majestic this being truly is. The heavy shading along with the clever use of black and gray colors lends a realistic feel to the bird’s plumage. It also helps to add depth and dimension to the tattoo.

3. Vulture And Skull Tattoo

Sometimes tattoos without any colors make the boldest impact! This tattoo features a vulture with a disfigured skull at the bottom that helps play up the gothic vibes. Thematically, the design with the skull and the somber appearance of the vulture emphasize the idea of how they are seen as harbingers of death. The graduated blackwork shading helps make the artwork look more dynamic and lends it an aura of eeriness. However, Eve Phillips, a professional tattoo artist, says, “It is important to note that in a highly detailed tattoo such as this, there is a possibility that the eye will not be visible in 6 months after getting the tattoo.” Nevertheless, consider this if you are a fan of Edgar Allan Poe, and the gothic lifestyle has you hooked.

4. Vulture Chest Tattoo

The gradient shading on this vulture chest tattoo helps to seriously add edge to the overall look. The wide-spread, open-winged vulture encourages embracing life with open arms and mustering the courage to deal with whatever comes your way. The negative spaces in the black-and-gray tattoo help to draw attention to the fine linework, whereas the textured shading technique helps successfully mimic the texture of a vulture’s feathers.

5. Bearded Vulture Tattoo

Though vultures tend to be a sign of death, they can also be associated with luck and happiness. For instance, in Iranian myth, the bearded vulture is considered a symbol of good luck and joy. It is a rare vulture sighting, but it is always a positive one. Thus, in this design, the bearded vulture appears stoic and calm. Moreover, the burnt orange tones and black-and-gray shadowy effect lend the plumage a depth, while the black of the eye makes his stare more intense. Finally, the blackwork structure makes for a striking contrast and helps to visually balance the look.

6. Vulture Neck Tattoo

The vulture neck tattoo is a stunning idea that involves complex design work but within a small area. The subtle use of red/brown and black tones along with negative spaces helps lend the design depth and create a visual impact. Also, the use of white ink makes the eyes appear shinier and the beak look more illuminated. Furthermore, the tattoo narrows towards the end, which flatters the neckline and gives perspective to the design.

7. Old-School Traditional Vulture Tattoo

This tattoo style pays an ode to the traditional American tattooing style defined by heavy linework and the use of bright hues. The red and yellow hues make the tattoo appear more vibrant yet sinister. The slightly ovular framework surrounding the vulture with the rough geometric lines makes the background seem like it is a stained glass frame, lending it a timeless allure. Interestingly, the eye of the vulture, which is symbolic of evil and fear, has red and gray tones instead of white on the sclera, which portrays the aggressive and wild spirit of the vulture.

8. Realistic Vulture Tattoo

If you fancy a tattoo but like to keep it real, then this hyper-realistic vulture tattoo is just what you can go with! The piercing eyes, hooked beak, and texture on the features almost makes it feel like the bird is alive and staring! The directionality of the feathers around the face and varying line weights help to beautifully bring out the facial features of the vulture. Placed on the forearm, this tattoo makes for an eye-catching and powerful design that is sure to shock people.

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Reviewer Author Editor Fact Checker

Eve PhillipsProfessional Tattoo Artist

   

Eve Phillips is an experienced artist in various tattoo styles, though she specializes in tattoos with fine details and floral elements. She has owned studios for 20 years in both Australia and the United Kingdom and has a wealth of knowledge and experience in all areas of tattoo art, health, licensing, trends, current issues, and history.

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Vaishali SinhaBeauty & Lifestyle Writer

 

Vaishali Sinha is a beauty and lifestyle writer with five years of experience in writing for various genres. She has a master’s degree in Comparative Literature from Jadavpur University. She combines her passion for beauty and lifestyle topics with her artistic background as an Indian classical vocalist to bring a fresh and creative perspective to her writing.

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Madhumati ChowdhuryAssociate Editor

Madhumati is an associate editor with seven years of professional experience. She has previously worked as an editor, proofreader, and a writer with various organizations, helping her navigate through the various facets of content creation and refinement with ease.

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Shreya MukherjeeBeauty & Lifestyle Writer

Shreya is a beauty and lifestyle writer with two years of experience. After graduating from Christ University, Bengaluru, she started as a writer for a non-profit organization, Bhumi, as an intern. She then wrote for a progressive content website.

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