Birds have fascinated songwriters for decades, appearing in everything from 1950s rock and roll to modern indie folk. Birds often represent freedom, the pain of a long journey, or the joy of a new morning. Whether they are soaring high or perched on a windowsill, these feathered friends help musicians tell stories about the human experience.
Be sure to check out the Songs About Birds Playlist at the bottom of this page.
Best Songs About Birds
1. “Rockin’ Robin” – Bobby Day
Lyric Sample: “Every little swallow, every chick-a-dee, every little bird in the tall oak tree.”
This 1958 hit describes a popular bird who outshines everyone else in the neighborhood with his dancing and singing.
2. “Blackbird” – The Beatles
Lyric Sample: “Take these broken wings and learn to fly.”
Paul McCartney wrote this 1960s classic as a message of encouragement for those facing struggle and systemic hardship. The lyrics use a bird’s flight as a way to talk about finding strength and rising above difficult circumstances.
Related: “Blackbird” Song Meaning
3. “A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square” – Bobby Darin
Lyric Sample: “That certain night, the night we met, there was magic abroad in the air.”
This jazz standard tells the story of two people falling in love in London, where everything feels so perfect it’s like a rare bird is singing just for them.
4. “Bird Song” – Florence + The Machine
Lyric Sample: “But he sang louder and louder inside the house, and no, I couldn’t get him out.”
“Bird Song” is about guilt that refuses to stay buried, represented by a bird that witnesses something the narrator has done and won’t stop singing about it no matter what she tries.
5. “Fly, Robin, Fly” – Silver Convention
Lyric Sample: “Fly, robin, fly, up, up to the sky.”
This 1975 disco track is a simple, hypnotic instruction to a robin to keep flying up toward the sun, repeated until it becomes something close to a mantra.
6. “Seagull” – Bad Company
Lyric Sample: “Seagull, you fly across the horizon, into the misty morning sun.”
The seagull in this 1974 rock song goes wherever it wants with no one to answer to, and the person watching from below can only envy that.
7. “Little Sparrow” – Dolly Parton
Lyric Sample: “Little sparrow, little sparrow, precious fragile little thing.”
Parton uses this song to warn young women about the dangers of heartless men, comparing an innocent heart to a small, vulnerable bird.
8. “Three Little Birds” – Bob Marley & The Wailers
Lyric Sample: “Three little birds pitch by my doorstep, singing sweet songs of melodies pure and true.”
Marley’s 1977 reggae classic is a reminder that everything is going to be okay, delivered by three birds singing outside his doorstep every morning.
Related: “Three Little Birds” Song Meaning
9. “Snowbird” – Anne Murray
Lyric Sample: “Spread your tiny wings and fly away.”
This 1970 country-pop hit is about asking a bird to carry away the sadness of a love that’s gone, envying its ability to leave winter behind whenever it wants.
Related: Best Songs About Snow
10. “Birds” – Imagine Dragons
Lyric Sample: “I know that birds fly in different directions.”
“Birds” is about two people who meant everything to each other accepting that they’ve ended up on different paths, but they still hold onto the hope of seeing each other again.
11. “Bird in a House” – Railroad Earth
Lyric Sample: “Just another bird in a house dying to get out.”
Railroad Earth’s song follows a bird trapped inside a house, beating itself against the walls trying to get out, wanting nothing more than to sing its own song and find its own kind.
12. “Fly Like an Eagle” – Steve Miller Band
Lyric Sample: “I want to fly like an eagle to the sea, fly like an eagle, let my spirit carry me.”
This 1970s rock classic is about wanting to fly above the problems of the world, specifically the poverty and suffering that keep cycling without end.
13. “I Like Birds” – Eels
Lyric Sample: “If you’re small and on a search, I’ve got a feeder for you to perch on.”
This quirky indie track explains that while people can be complicated and frustrating, birds are easy to appreciate and understand. It’s a funny, honest look at choosing nature over the stresses of social interaction.
14. “The Eagle and the Hawk” – John Denver
Lyric Sample: “I am the eagle, I live in high country, in rocky cathedrals that reach to the sky.”
Denver celebrates the wild, untamed beauty of the mountains through the eyes of two birds. The song focuses on the thrill of living high above the ground and feeling completely connected to the earth.
15. “Poisoning Pigeons in the Park” – Tom Lehrer
Lyric Sample: “Every Sunday you’ll see my sweetheart and me as we poison the pigeons in the park.”
This satirical ’50s song pokes fun at the idea of a peaceful day outdoors by describing a very dark hobby. It’s a classic example of Lehrer’s dry, twisted sense of humor.
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16. “Little Bird” – Annie Lennox
Lyric Sample: “I’ve got a feeling that it might have been blessed, so I’ve just got to put these wings to test.”
Lennox sings about wanting to find her own path and fly away from her troubles, just like a bird leaving its nest. It’s a song about searching for identity and the courage to start a new journey on your own.
17. “Wings of a Dove” – Ferlin Husky
Lyric Sample: “On the wings of a snow-white dove, He sends His pure sweet love.”
Husky’s 1960 country gospel song is about a dove carrying God’s message to Noah, Moses, and Jesus, and the comfort of knowing that same divine presence hasn’t gone anywhere.
18. “Songbird” – Fleetwood Mac
Lyric Sample: “And the songbirds are singing like they know the score.”
Christine McVie wrote this as an unconditional love letter, wishing someone happiness and peace. The birds in the lyrics seem to understand the feelings the narrator is trying to share.
Related: “Songbird” Lyrics Meaning
19. “Meadowlarks” – Fleet Foxes
Lyric Sample: “Hummingbird, just let me die inside the broken ovals of your olive eye.”
This 2008 folk song is a somewhat cryptic conversation with birds, asking them to sing and offering them gifts in return. One or both of the birds might represent a love interest, but no one knows for sure.
20. “Eagle” – ABBA
Lyric Sample: “And I dream I’m an eagle, and I dream I can spread my wings.”
ABBA’s 1977 pop track is about the fantasy of soaring above the earth, free from every human limitation and expectation.
Related: Best Songs About Flying
21. “The Raven” – The Alan Parsons Project
Lyric Sample: “And still the raven remains in my room.”
Based on the famous Edgar Allan Poe poem, this 1976 track follows a man tormented by a raven that refuses to leave.
22. “Surfin’ Bird” – The Trashmen
Lyric Sample: “A well-a everybody’s heard about the bird.”
This 1960s novelty hit is famous for its nonsensical lyrics. It doesn’t really have a deep meaning, but it definitely cemented the idea that “the bird is the word” in pop culture history.
Related: Best One-Hit Wonders
23. “El Condor Pasa (If I Could)” – Simon & Garfunkel
Lyric Sample: “I’d rather be a sparrow than a snail.”
Simon & Garfunkel’s 1970 version of this Peruvian folk tune is about preferring freedom over safety, choosing a sparrow over a snail, and a forest over a street.
24. “Hummingbird” – Seals & Crofts
Lyric Sample: “Hummingbird, don’t fly away, fly away.”
In this 1972 soft rock tune, the hummingbird is treated as something sacred and fragile, with the narrator asking it to stay in a world that has already done it harm.
25. “The Bird” – Jerry Reed
Lyric Sample: “He said, son, this bird can sing like no other bird you ever heard before.”
Reed’s 1982 country novelty track follows a blue-collar worker who gets conned into buying a bird that can sing famous country songs.
26. “Bluebird” – Wings
Lyric Sample: “Touch your lips with a magic kiss, and you’ll be a bluebird too.”
Paul McCartney uses the bluebird as a symbol of happiness, promising that wherever his partner goes, he’ll be right there alongside her.
27. “Skylark” – Linda Ronstadt
Lyric Sample: “Skylark, have you anything to say to me?”
This jazz standard is about asking a bird to go find someone who has left, knowing deep down the search may not turn up anything.
Conclusion
From robins rockin’ in the treetops to ravens that won’t stop talking, birds have shown up in music in just about every way possible. These 27 songs barely scratch the surface, but they’re my favorites.
If you enjoyed this list, you might also like our picks for Songs with Animals in the Title, Songs About Nature, and Songs About Spring.
