BIRDS IN HERALDRY
Bird charges play a large and important role in heraldry. Almost every species known has
been emblazoned in some form or another. Species in use range from doves and owls to
peacocks and swans. Over all, the charge most frequently seen is that of the eagle,
followed closely by that of the falcon.
As important as the species' of birds themselves are their postures, shown here by the
different eagle charges.
TYPES OF BIRDS
| eagle | falcon | raven | dove | popinjay |
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heron |
crane |
stork |
martlet |
martlet volant |
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ostrich |
swan |
pelican in her piety |
peacock |
owl |
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cock |
moorcock |
pheonix |
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POSTURES OF BIRDS AS EXEMPLIFIED BY THE EAGLE
| eagle close | eagle rising, wings elevated & addorsed | eagle rising, wings addorsed & inverted |
eagle rising, wings elevated & displayed | eagle rising, wings displayed & inverted |
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eagle displayed |
eagle displayed with wings inverted |
Ocasionally specific birds will have variations of posture unique to themselves. For the eagle |
double-headed eagle displayed |
Napoleonic eagle |
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