Brands have long used animals to represent their identity. Some companies have chosen to use bird logos to stand as the face of their brand.
These animals can represent an array of traits. It symbolizes liberation, freedom, and reincarnation. Birds have symbolized this in literature as well as movies and other forms of media.
It provides a unique touch to any brand. This is important because brand logos need to create a unique identity.
Today, we are taking a peek at some of the most memorable avian logos in the world.
Discover how major brands have successfully integrated birds into their identity. Whether you are using a logo maker or hiring a logo designer, you'll learn the dos and don'ts of incorporating animals into your logo design and find inspiration from these examples today.
The Most Popular Bird Logos of All Time
American Eagle
This all-American brand uses the country’s national animal for its logo. It presents the bird using a silhouette-style drawing, which gives it a dominant appearance. This makes it look like the bird is coming at you from the sky.
The black-and-white color scheme makes it adaptable and easy to apply to different materials, such as apparel design and tags.
Penguin Books
The British publishing company chose a flightless bird. Puffin is the left-facing penguin on the spine of classic books. In 1935, Edward Young designed this mascot logo.
However, Jan Tschichold redesigned it in 1946. The brand wanted a mascot that appeared authoritative and flippant simultaneously. The image of a penguin did the job.
Twitter (now X)
Twitter worked with designer Simon Oxley, who also designed logos for Github, Bitly, iStock, and other reputable companies. One of the most interesting facts about this logo is that it only cost the brand $15. The microblogging site's mascot is also called Larry the Bird. The mountain bluebird was said to be named after the Boston Celtics.
This flat design adds to the modern and techie feel of this logo. It makes it easier to comprehend and, at the same time, displays better on digital devices. While the social media platform has since adopted a different name and visual, the original logo's contribution to design history is still widely acknowledged.
Nestle
Nestle is a German word that means “the little nest.” Its logo depicts a family of birds sitting atop one. This literal characterization of the brand name features three baby birds being fed by their mother. The drawing has been around since 1868. Today, it has been redesigned with fewer details and smoother lines.
NBC
Featuring six different colors, the NBC logo creates a silhouette of a peacock. This is one of the most colorful designs in the channel logos we see today. The meaning of the NBC logo is a reference to the channel’s color programming. In the old days, this channel logo even had 11 feathers with different colors.
Linux
The operating system is represented by Tux. This penguin character was picked by the brand owner, Linus Torvalds. The story behind this is that Torvalds nearly got bitten by this bird. At present, the company has a simple illustration of a front-facing penguin with its yellow flippers on full display.
Hollister
The seagull of this retail brand is depicted using its shadow. This particular bird is known to represent sailors and dreamers. The brand often displays this icon atop the brand name typography to create a coherent design.
The Original Penguin
The clothing line was created by a military garment manufacturer in 1955. Its best products are shirts, footwear, and glasses. It is also said that the golf shirts you see today are designed after Original Penguin shirts. This company's logo is made up of mostly text and a small drawing of a penguin on the side.
American Airlines
American Airlines' logo has a dynamic look thanks to its shape and color. It uses slanted figures and gradients to help the design seem like it is in motion. FutureBrand, a design firm that has worked with brands like Nespresso and Fiji Airways, refreshed the current logo.
Swift
The visual identity created by Apple for its programming language is a bright coral icon featuring a swallow. Its white silhouette sits at the brand name's left corner. The logo has a vibrant energy while reminiscent of Apple’s clean and minimalist identity.
More Popular Bird Logos Below
Duolingo
Duolingo's mascot is a bright green owl named Duo. This friendly and approachable representation of an owl was chosen for its association with wisdom and learning, aligning perfectly with Duolingo's mission of making language education accessible to everyone. The cartoonish style makes it memorable and appealing to a broad audience.
Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals' primary logo has evolved to feature a single cardinal. The logo showcases a vibrant red cardinal perched on a yellow baseball bat in its current iteration. The bird is depicted with a navy blue outline, a yellow beak, and white eyes, giving it a more detailed and modern look compared to earlier versions.
The scripted wordmark "Cardinals" in red with navy blue trim elegantly curves along the bat, and the C logo cleverly hooked around it is a design element that has been a consistent feature. This single cardinal embodies the team's spirit and history, remaining one of the most recognizable emblems in baseball.
Hooters
Hooters' logo features a stylized cartoon owl, often called "Hooter." The owl is typically depicted with large, prominent eyes, playing on the double entendre of the brand's name. The playful and memorable logo contributes to the brand's recognizable and somewhat cheeky image.
Granny Goose
Granny Goose snack foods often feature a friendly, cartoonish goose in their branding. The goose is typically portrayed warmly and invitingly, evoking a sense of homespun goodness and traditional recipes. This imagery aims to create a feeling of nostalgia and comfort associated with the snacks.
Dove
The Dove brand, owned by Unilever, uses a stylized silhouette of a dove in its logo. The dove is a universally recognized symbol of peace, purity, gentleness, and beauty, aligning with the brand's focus on personal care products that promote these qualities. The elegant and simple design of the dove contributes to the brand's sophisticated and trustworthy image.
Turkish Airlines
Turkish Airlines' logo features a stylized silhouette of a wild goose in flight. The wild goose is a migratory bird known for its ability to fly long distances, symbolizing the airline's extensive network and its connection of people and places across the globe.
The fluid and dynamic design conveys a sense of movement and travel. A fun fact is that the "Wild Goose" (turna in Turkish) is also a figure in Turkish folklore, known for its loyalty and endurance.
Swarovski
While Swarovski is famous for its crystal creations, their logo features a swan. Swans are often associated with elegance, grace, and beauty, mirroring the exquisite nature of Swarovski's products. The swan logo has become an iconic symbol of the brand's luxury and precision.
Kiwi
The Kiwi brand, known for shoe polish, features a kiwi bird in its logo. The kiwi is a flightless bird native to New Zealand and is a national symbol of the country. Its inclusion in the logo directly references the brand's origins and provides a distinctive and recognizable emblem.
Giorgio Armani
Giorgio Armani's primary logo features his name in a sophisticated and minimalist font. However, the Armani Collezioni line sometimes incorporates a stylized eagle. Eagles are often associated with power, prestige, and vision, aligning with the high-end fashion brand's image of luxury and authority.
JAL
Japan Airlines' logo, known as the "tsurumaru," features a stylized red-crowned crane in a circular design. The crane symbolizes longevity, good fortune, and happiness in Japanese culture. The elegant and circular design represents the airline's commitment to safety, reliability, and Japanese heritage.
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays baseball team's logo prominently features a blue jay, a bird known for its vibrant blue color and spirited nature. The design has evolved over the years, but the blue jay remains central to the team's identity, symbolizing energy, agility, and the team's name.
Trip Advisor
TripAdvisor's logo features a friendly, cartoon owl named "Ollie." Ollie is depicted with large eyes, suggesting wisdom and the ability to see and review travel experiences. The approachable owl aims to convey that TripAdvisor provides insightful travel information and reviews from fellow travelers. This welcoming mascot helps to build trust and encourages users to explore and share their travel experiences on the platform.
White Owl
White Owl cigars feature an owl in their branding, often depicted as a wise and watchful figure. Owls have long been associated with knowledge and contemplation, perhaps suggesting a moment of relaxation and enjoyment associated with smoking a cigar.
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens football team's logo features a fierce and powerful raven. Ravens are often associated with intelligence, mystery, and a strong, determined spirit. The sharp and aggressive design of the raven embodies the team's competitive edge and strength. The team's name and mascot are inspired by Edgar Allan Poe's famous poem, "The Raven." It is an homage to his final years in Baltimore.
Chick-fil-A
Chick-fil-A's logo cleverly incorporates a stylized chicken into the "C" of "Chick-fil-A." This subtle yet distinct representation directly communicates the brand's focus on chicken. The simple and memorable design has become highly recognizable.
Aorus
Aorus, a brand focused on gaming hardware by Gigabyte, features a stylized falcon head in its logo. Falcons are known for their speed, precision, and sharp vision, qualities that resonate with the high-performance nature of gaming products. The sleek and aggressive design of the falcon embodies power and cutting-edge technology.
These are just a few examples of how birds take flight in branding. Find further inspiration in our collection of bird-themed logos to spark your creativity:
Designing Memorable Bird Logos
The logos above have shown you how to use birds to create a design that’ll stay in your audience's mind. You can use this illustration as the focal point of your logo as well.
To bring your unique vision to life, consider exploring different avenues for logo creation. Crowdsourcing platforms like DesignCrowd offer the opportunity to launch a logo design contest and receive diverse submissions from a community of talented freelance graphic designers. Receive up to 50 submissions today.
For a more hands-on approach, Design.com's logo maker provides an accessible platform with a gallery of avian-themed designs, including owls and phoenixes. Even without prior design experience, you can easily customize fonts, colors, and other elements to create a logo that perfectly embodies your brand.
Read more articles about design and inspiration below:
Written by DesignCrowd on Monday, January 25, 2021
DesignCrowd is an online marketplace providing logo, website, print and graphic design services by providing access to freelance graphic designers and design studios around the world.
