Many people confuse swallow tattoos and sparrow tattoos. If you associate sparrow tattoos with a sailor, he might get very upset with you. Many people use them interchangeably but there is a big difference. Most of the bird tattoos you see are swallows, although many people call them sparrows. Learn the difference before you get the tattoo.
The birds themselves are very different. A swallow is a very common species. It has a beautiful blue color, with a long forked tail and curved, pointed wings. Sparrows are small, plump, gray-brown birds with short wings. These are very different birds to be so easily confused. Very rarely do you see true sparrow tattoos.
If you see sparrow tattoos, they usually express some sort of religious reference. Paraphrasing Matthew 10:29-31, Aren’t two sparrows sold for little? However, none will fall to the ground without the knowledge of our Father… Therefore, do not fear. You are worth more than many sparrows.
On the other hand, swallow tattoos are very popular. These are the birds connected to sailors. Swallows tend to stay close to land, so when a sailor saw a swallow, he knew land was near. Another trait of the swallow is to return to the same mating site year after year. The sailors felt that the swallow tattoos were a charm to ensure that they returned home safely.
Swallow tattoos were also a sign of a sailor’s experience. New sailors got their first tattoo after 5,000 miles at sea, then another after the next 5,000 miles. After that, nautical star tattoos were used.
Due to the beautiful color of the swallow, there are many options when it comes to creating a design. A tattoo must be personal to be worthwhile. When you show off your tattoo, you want to be able to tell a story. When you design your swallow tattoos, think about what makes them special to you. If you use your imagination, you can make the tattoo express your feelings.
The best place to get great ideas on how to make your tattoo special is an online tattoo gallery. With a good gallery membership, you have unlimited access to thousands of high-quality, professional designs that will make your tattoo stand out from the rest. You can download as many designs as you like at no additional charge. Then you can take your time and put together a tattoo that you’ll cherish for a lifetime.
