Driving can be a relaxing activity for many Americans. When driving your car, there will, of course, be obstacles along the way.
Whether it’s ending up in a strange neighborhood or ending up in an area of town you didn’t know had blocks and detours, there’s virtually no end to the number of obstacles you’ll face when driving.
One of those obstacles is birds.
Hitting a bird while driving can be a terrible experience. In some cultures, hitting a bird and causing its death is considered a bad omen.
In other cultures, it could mean that the opposite is true, and this is a sign of overcoming obstacles.
For people that aren’t superstitious, hitting a bird could simply be a sign of spring or a sign that bird populations are growing.
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What do birds symbolize?
Birds have many different meanings for different people. These meanings will vary based on different factors, but the biggest factor is the color and type of bird.
For instance, hitting a gray bird or pigeon might be different than hitting a bluebird.
Below, we’ll discuss some of the most common bird species and what it might mean if you hit one.
Hitting a black bird
Ever since the popularity of Edgar Allan Poe’s poem, “The Raven,” some people consider these black birds a sign of bad luck or even death.
This is because the black bird in this poem ultimately leads to the narrator’s turmoil.
However, this might not be true for other people. Depending on your beliefs, a black bird can indicate bad spirits around you.
They could indicate the presence of evil or mischievousness since crows are known to be carnivores.
For other people, black crows and ravens are considered spiritual beings.
Crows are, after all, one of the smartest birds on the planet, with the capacity to recognize human faces, give gifts to people, and even solve puzzles.
With such high intelligence, wouldn’t it be normal to think that a crow had a personality and mind all of its own?
Other blackbirds include:
- Starlings
- Oriole
- Blackbird
- Cowgirl
Black birds can, therefore, signal that you are able to beat death or a bad omen. Hitting one can be symbolic of destroying the evil they carried with them.
On the other hand, hitting a black bird like a crow could also symbolize the destruction of one of the most intelligent species on the planet.
With so many crows present in our neighborhoods, cities, and streets, hitting a crow or other type of black bird might not be such an uncommon occurrence.
This is good news for people who are less superstitious but don’t want to come face to face with any bad omens regardless.
Hitting a bluebird
Bluebirds are some of the most beautiful creatures on the planet. Their beautiful mating calls and bright feathers make them integrate seamlessly into the sky.
However, it can be difficult to understand what the true meaning of a bluebird is.
For Native Americans, bluebirds symbolize the coming of spring and therefore fertility, abundance, and changing of the seasons.
This is due to the fact that bluebirds are migratory birds, and their migrations indicate a change in season.
If this is true, then it makes sense to associate bluebirds with the coming of the new season.
Hitting a bluebird, can, therefore, symbolize a halting in your changing persona.
Perhaps there is an obstacle in your way that is forcing you to not be able to take your full, true form.
Ask yourself, is there something or someone that is holding me back? Perhaps hitting a bluebird is symbolic of this relationship?
Hitting a yellow bird
In many cultures, such as the Chinese culture, yellow birds symbolize joy and happiness.
Yellow birds can indicate prosperity, and they can be a sign that happy times are on the way. Therefore, it can be scary to hit a yellow bird.
Does this mean you will never be happy? Does it mean you won’t be able to enjoy life ever again and have destroyed your happiness? Not quite.
It’s important to understand the difference between a bird sacrificing its life to warn you of something, or a bird simply falling victim to your car.
Many people think the latter is true. Although hitting a bird can be traumatizing, think about what this very act does for you. It can:
- Increase your awareness
- Make you stop (literally)
- Make you question your life or decisions
- Create a spiritual awakening or connection
If you’ve hit a bird with your car, don’t feel bad.
There is a reason this happened, and soon enough, you’ll be able to find out for yourself why this particular bird sacrificed itself for you and how you can repay its life.
Hitting an owl
Finally, there’s another bird that could be hit, which is an owl.
Owls are incredibly powerful birds that have long been associated with bad omens if seen during the daytime.
However, they have also been associated with spiritual awakening.
If you are a believer in this, it’s best to seek help from a spiritual guide who can inform you of what steps to take to protect your spirit if you hit an owl…especially during the day.
After hitting the owl, you might be inclined to pray for a bit. This is totally normal and fine to do as long as you do it in a safe area.
What if I’m not superstitious?
For others, hitting a bird is more of an inconvenience and scary event rather than a life-changing sign. It’s completely fine to think about your bird encounter in this way also.
For many people living in dense cities, hitting a pigeon or other city bird might be a common occurrence.
In suburban areas, wild birds might be startled or even attracted by your headlights and can find themselves the victim of your vehicle.
In addition, there are invasive bird species today, such as the European Starling.
This type of bird was introduced to the United States in the 1800s and has since reproduced into the millions.
Since they are an invasive species, it can be difficult to fully control their population. As such, they might one day be the victim of your vehicle.
It’s best to always pull over to the side of the road if you’ve hit a bird.
If it is not a species you recognize, or even if it’s an endangered species, you should call your local agricultural department or notify the United States Department of Agriculture, Animal, and Plant Health Inspection Service.
They will know how to collect the bird to study it, dispose of it, or tag it.
Final Thoughts
Many people associate birds with different meanings. It’s fine to associate a bird with a special meaning, and even feel some guilt if you have run over it.
It is also fine to ignore these meanings and simply follow protocol if you’ve hit a bird.
Whatever you choose to do, remember that you should listen to your own thoughts and intuitions.
