54 Bible Verses about Birds

Most Relevant Verses

Psalm 84:3


The bird has found a house,
And the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young—
Even Your altars, O Lord of hosts,
My King and my God.

Job 12:7


“Now ask the animals, and let them teach you [that God does not deal with His creatures according to their character];
And ask the birds of the air, and let them tell you;

Psalm 104:12


Beside them the birds of the heavens have their nests;
They lift up their voices and sing among the branches.

Matthew 13:32

and of all the seeds [planted in the region] it is the smallest, but when it has grown it is the largest of the garden herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air find shelter in its branches.”

Psalm 50:11


“I know every bird of the mountains,
And everything that moves in the field is Mine.

Psalm 8:8


The birds of the air, and the fish of the sea,
Whatever passes through the paths of the seas.

Ezekiel 31:6


‘All the birds of the sky made their nests in its twigs,
And under its branches all the animals of the field gave birth [to their young],
And all of the great nations lived under its shadow.

Ecclesiastes 10:20

Moreover, do not curse the king, even in your bedroom, and in your sleeping rooms do not curse the rich, for a bird of the air will carry the sound and a winged creature will make the matter known.

Jeremiah 4:25


I looked, and behold, there was no man,
And all the birds of the air had fled.

Jeremiah 12:9


“Is My inheritance like a speckled bird of prey to Me [unlike the others]?
Are the birds of prey (enemies) surrounding her on every side?
Go, gather all the [wild] beasts of the field;
Bring them to devour [her]!

Matthew 13:4

and as he sowed, some seed fell beside the road [between the fields], and the birds came and ate it.

Isaiah 46:11


Calling a bird of prey from the east,
From a far country, the man (Cyrus) of My purpose.
Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass.
I have planned it, be assured I will do it.

Genesis 15:11

The birds of prey swooped down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away.

Isaiah 16:2


For like wandering birds or scattered nestlings,
The daughters of Moab will be at the fords of the [river] Arnon.

Leviticus 11:13

‘These you shall detest among the birds; they are not to be eaten, for they are hated things: the eagle and the vulture and the buzzard,

Jeremiah 7:33

And the dead bodies of this people will be food for the birds of the air and for the beasts of the earth and no one will frighten them away.

Hosea 4:3


Therefore the land [continually] mourns,
And everyone who lives in it languishes [in tragic suffering]
Together with the animals of the open country and the birds of the heavens;
Even the fish of the sea disappear.

2 Samuel 21:10

Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it out for herself on the rock, from the beginning of harvest [in the spring] until [the autumn] rain fell on them; and she allowed neither the birds of the sky to rest on their bodies by day, nor the beasts of the field [to feed on them] by night.

1 Corinthians 15:39

All flesh is not the same. There is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish.

Psalm 124:7


We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowlers;
The trap is broken and we have escaped.

Ezekiel 38:20

so that the fishes of the sea, the birds of the sky, the animals of the field, all the creatures that crawl on the earth, and all the men that are on the face of the earth will tremble and shake at My presence; the mountains will crumble, the steep places will fall, and every wall will fall to the ground.

Isaiah 31:5


Like flying birds, so will the Lord of hosts protect Jerusalem;
He will protect and save it,
He will pass over and rescue it.

Job 28:7


“The path [deep within] no bird of prey knows,
And the falcon’s eye has not caught sight of it.

Jeremiah 5:27


‘As a cage is full of birds,
So are their houses full of deceit and treachery;
Therefore they have become influential and rich.

1 Samuel 17:44

The Philistine also said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the beasts of the field.”

Genesis 1:21

God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarmed according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind; and God saw that it was good and He affirmed and sustained it.

Jeremiah 5:26


‘For wicked men are found among My people,
They watch like fowlers who lie in wait;
They set a trap,
They catch men.

Ezekiel 13:20

Therefore, thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I am against your magic bands [and veils] by which you hunt [human] lives as birds and I will tear them from your arms; and I will let the lives you hunt go free, even those lives whom you hunt as birds.

Psalm 79:2


They have given the dead bodies of Your servants as food to the birds of the heavens,
The flesh of Your godly ones to the beasts of the earth.

Psalm 104:17


Where the birds make their nests;
As for the stork, the fir trees are her house.

Genesis 2:20

And the man gave names to all the livestock, and to the birds of the air, and to every animal of the field; but for Adam there was not found a helper [that was] suitable (a companion) for him.

Proverbs 27:8


Like a bird that wanders from her nest [with its comfort and safety],
So is a man who wanders from his home.

Hosea 2:18


“And in that day I will make a covenant for Israel
With the animals of the open country
And with the birds of the heavens
And with the creeping things of the ground.
And I will abolish the bow and the sword and [banish] war from the land
And will make them lie down in safety.

Daniel 2:38

and wherever the sons of men dwell, and the beasts of the field, and the birds of the heavens, He has given them into your hand and has made you ruler over them all. You [king of Babylon] are the head of gold.

Romans 1:23

and exchanged the glory and majesty and excellence of the immortal God for an image [worthless idols] in the shape of mortal man and birds and four-footed animals and reptiles.

Leviticus 14:50

and he shall kill one of the birds in an earthenware container over running water,

Ecclesiastes 9:12

For man also does not know his time [of death]; like fish caught in a treacherous net, and birds caught in the snare, so the sons of men are ensnared in an evil time when a dark cloud suddenly falls on them.

Deuteronomy 22:6

“If you happen to come upon a bird’s nest along the road, in any tree or on the ground, with young ones or eggs, and the mother [bird] is sitting on the young or on the eggs, you shall not take the mother with the young.

Genesis 15:10

So Abram brought all these to Him and cut them down the middle, and laid each half opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds.

Proverbs 26:2


Like the sparrow in her wandering, like the swallow in her flying,
So the curse without cause does not come and alight [on the undeserving].

From Thematic Bible


Birds » General references to

Genesis 1:26

Then God said, “Let Us (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) make man in Our image, according to Our likeness [not physical, but a spiritual personality and moral likeness]; and let them have complete authority over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the cattle, and over the entire earth, and over everything that creeps and crawls on the earth.”

Genesis 9:2

The fear and the terror of you shall be [instinctive] in every animal of the land and in every bird of the air; and together with everything that moves on the ground, and with all the fish of the sea; they are given into your hand.

Deuteronomy 14:11

“You may eat any clean bird.

Deuteronomy 22:6

“If you happen to come upon a bird’s nest along the road, in any tree or on the ground, with young ones or eggs, and the mother [bird] is sitting on the young or on the eggs, you shall not take the mother with the young.

Genesis 1:20

Then God said, “Let the waters swarm and abundantly produce living creatures, and let birds soar above the earth in the open expanse of the heavens.”

Birds » Used as sacrifices » Pigeons, offered in sacrifice

Genesis 15:9

So God said to him, “Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.”

Leviticus 12:8

If she cannot afford a lamb then she shall take two turtledoves or young pigeons, one as a burnt offering, the other as a sin offering; the priest shall make atonement for her, and she will be clean.’”

Leviticus 1:14

‘But if his offering to the Lord is a burnt offering of birds, then he shall bring turtledoves or young pigeons as his offering.

Leviticus 5:7

‘But if he cannot afford a lamb, then he shall bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons as his guilt offering for his sin to the Lord, one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering.

Leviticus 14:22

and two turtledoves or two young pigeons, such as he can afford, one shall be a sin offering, the other a burnt offering.

More verses: Luke 2:24

Birds » Used as sacrifices » Ravens

Genesis 8:7

and he sent out a raven, which flew here and there until the waters were dried up from the earth.

1 Kings 17:4

You shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to sustain you there [with food].”

More verses: Proverbs 30:17

Birds » Used as sacrifices » Eagles, a type of swiftness

Exodus 19:4

‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to Myself.

2 Samuel 1:23


“Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely and friends in their lives,
And in their death they were not separated;
They were swifter than eagles,
They were stronger than lions.

Job 9:26


“They pass by like the [swift] boats made of reeds,
Like an eagle that swoops down on its prey.

Birds » Names of » Cormorants

Leviticus 11:17

the little owl and the cormorant and the great owl,

Deuteronomy 14:17

the pelican, the carrion vulture, the cormorant,

Isaiah 34:11


But the pelican and the porcupine will take possession of it;
The owl and the raven will dwell in it.
And He will stretch over it (Edom) the measuring line of desolation
And the plumb line of emptiness.

Zephaniah 2:14


Flocks will lie down in her midst,
All the animals which range in herds;
Both the pelican and the short-eared owl
Will roost on the top of Nineveh’s pillars.
Birds will sing in the window,
Desolation will be on the threshold;
For He has uncovered the cedar paneling.

Birds » Names of » Doves, a type of purity

Matthew 10:16

“Listen carefully: I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; so be wise as serpents, and innocent as doves [have no self-serving agenda].

Psalm 68:13


When you lie down [to rest] among the sheepfolds,
You [Israel] are like the wings of a dove [of victory] overlaid with silver,
Its feathers glistening with gold [trophies taken from the enemy].

Song of Songs 6:9


But my dove, my perfect one, stands alone [above them all];
She is her mother’s only daughter;
She is the pure child of the one who bore her.
The maidens saw her and called her blessed and happy,
The queens and the concubines also, and they praised her, saying,

Birds » Used as sacrifices » Vultures

Deuteronomy 14:13

and the red kite, the falcon, and the birds of prey of any variety,

Job 28:7


“The path [deep within] no bird of prey knows,
And the falcon’s eye has not caught sight of it.

Isaiah 34:15


There the arrow snake will make her nest and lay her eggs,
And hatch them and gather her young under her protection;
Indeed, the birds of prey will be gathered there [to breed],
Every one with its own kind.

Birds » Used as sacrifices » Storks

Jeremiah 8:7


“Even the stork in the sky
Knows her seasons [of migration],
And the turtledove, the swallow and the crane
Observe the time of their return.
But My people do not know
The law of the Lord.

Psalm 104:17


Where the birds make their nests;
As for the stork, the fir trees are her house.

Zechariah 5:9

Then I looked up, and there were two women coming out with the wind in their wings; and they had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heavens.

Birds » Man's dominion over

Jeremiah 27:6

Now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, My servant and instrument, and I have also given the wild animals of the field to serve him.

Genesis 1:26

Then God said, “Let Us (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) make man in Our image, according to Our likeness [not physical, but a spiritual personality and moral likeness]; and let them have complete authority over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the cattle, and over the entire earth, and over everything that creeps and crawls on the earth.”

Genesis 9:2-3

And the fear of you and the dread and terror of you shall be upon every beast of the land, every bird of the air, all that creeps upon the ground, and upon all the fish of the sea; they are delivered into your hand. Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you; and as I gave you the green vegetables and plants, I give you everything.

More verses: Daniel 2:38 Psalm 8:5-8

Birds » Used as sacrifices » Turtle doves, offered in sacrifice

Genesis 15:9

So God said to him, “Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.”

Leviticus 1:14

‘But if his offering to the Lord is a burnt offering of birds, then he shall bring turtledoves or young pigeons as his offering.

Luke 2:24

and [they came also] to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord [to be appropriate for a family of modest means], “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

Numbers 6:10

On the eighth day he shall bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons to the priest, to the doorway of the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle).

Birds » Have each their peculiar note or song

Psalm 104:12


Beside them the birds of the heavens have their nests;
They lift up their voices and sing among the branches.

Ecclesiastes 12:4

when the doors (lips) are shut in the streets and the sound of the grinding [of the teeth] is low, and one rises at the sound of a bird and the crowing of a rooster, and all the daughters of music (voice, ears) sing softly.

Song of Songs 2:12


‘The flowers appear on the earth once again;
The time for singing has come,
And the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.

Birds » The singing of

Psalm 104:12


Beside them the birds of the heavens have their nests;
They lift up their voices and sing among the branches.

Ecclesiastes 12:4

when the doors (lips) are shut in the streets and the sound of the grinding [of the teeth] is low, and one rises at the sound of a bird and the crowing of a rooster, and all the daughters of music (voice, ears) sing softly.

Song of Songs 2:12


‘The flowers appear on the earth once again;
The time for singing has come,
And the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.

Birds » The nests of

Isaiah 34:15


There the arrow snake will make her nest and lay her eggs,
And hatch them and gather her young under her protection;
Indeed, the birds of prey will be gathered there [to breed],
Every one with its own kind.

Psalm 104:17


Where the birds make their nests;
As for the stork, the fir trees are her house.

Psalm 84:3


The bird has found a house,
And the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young—
Even Your altars, O Lord of hosts,
My King and my God.

Birds » Often suffered for man's sin

Jeremiah 12:4


How long must the land mourn
And the grass of the countryside wither?
Because of the wickedness and hypocrisy of those who live in it,
The beasts and the birds are consumed and are swept away [by the drought],
Because men [mocking me] have said, “He will not [live long enough to] see [what happens at] our final end.”

Genesis 6:7

So the Lord said, “I will destroy (annihilate) mankind whom I have created from the surface of the earth—not only man, but the animals and the crawling things and the birds of the air—because it [deeply] grieves Me [to see mankind’s sin] and I regret that I have made them.”

Hosea 4:3


Therefore the land [continually] mourns,
And everyone who lives in it languishes [in tragic suffering]
Together with the animals of the open country and the birds of the heavens;
Even the fish of the sea disappear.

Ezekiel 38:20

so that the fishes of the sea, the birds of the sky, the animals of the field, all the creatures that crawl on the earth, and all the men that are on the face of the earth will tremble and shake at My presence; the mountains will crumble, the steep places will fall, and every wall will fall to the ground.

Birds » Used as sacrifices » Sparrows

Luke 12:6

Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? Yet not one of them has [ever] been forgotten in the presence of God.

Psalm 84:3


The bird has found a house,
And the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young—
Even Your altars, O Lord of hosts,
My King and my God.

Psalm 102:7


I am sleepless and lie awake [mourning],
I have become like a lonely bird on a housetop.

Birds » Used as sacrifices » Owls

Isaiah 34:14


The creatures of the desert will encounter jackals
And the hairy goat will call to its kind;
Indeed, Lilith (night demon) will settle there
And find herself a place of rest.

Deuteronomy 14:16

the little owl, the great owl, the long-eared owl,

Birds » Used as sacrifices » Pelicans

Deuteronomy 14:17

the pelican, the carrion vulture, the cormorant,

Leviticus 11:18

the white owl, the pelican, the carrion vulture,

Psalm 102:6


I am like a [mournful] vulture of the wilderness;
I am like a [desolate] owl of the wasteland.

Birds » Many kinds of, carnivorous

Deuteronomy 28:26

Your carcasses will be food for all the birds of the sky and the beasts of the earth, and there will be no one to frighten them away.

Genesis 15:11

The birds of prey swooped down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away.

Genesis 40:19

within three more days Pharaoh will lift up your head and will hang you on a tree (gallows, pole), and [you will not so much as be given a burial, but] the birds will eat your flesh.”

Birds » Used as sacrifices » Hawks

Deuteronomy 14:15

and the ostrich, the owl, the seagull, the hawk of any variety,

Job 39:26


“Is it by your understanding that the hawk soars,
Stretching his wings toward the south [as winter approaches]?

Birds » Illustrative » (snaring,) of designs of the wicked

Psalm 124:7


We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowlers;
The trap is broken and we have escaped.

Proverbs 1:10-17

My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent. If they say, Come with us; let us lie in wait [to shed] blood, let us ambush the innocent without cause [and show that his piety is in vain]; Let us swallow them up alive as does Sheol (the place of the dead), and whole, as those who go down into the pit [of the dead]; read more.
We shall find and take all kinds of precious goods [when our victims are put out of the way], we shall fill our houses with plunder; Throw in your lot with us [they insist] and be a sworn brother and comrade; let us all have one purse in common -- " My son, do not walk in the way with them; restrain your foot from their path; For their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood. For in vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird!

Proverbs 7:23


Until an arrow pierced his liver [with a mortal wound];
Like a bird fluttering straight into the net,
He did not know that it would cost him his life.

Birds » Clean » Cock and hen

Matthew 26:34

Jesus said to him, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, this night, before a rooster crows, you will [completely] deny Me three times.”

Matthew 26:74

Then he began to curse [that is, to invoke God’s judgment on himself] and swear [an oath], “I do not know the man!” And at that moment a rooster crowed.

Birds » God provides for

Psalm 104:1-12

Bless (affectionately, gratefully praise) the Lord, O my soul! O Lord my God, You are very great! You are clothed with honor and majesty -- " [You are the One] Who covers Yourself with light as with a garment, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain or a tent, Who lays the beams of the upper room of His abode in the waters [above the firmament], Who makes the clouds His chariot, Who walks on the wings of the wind, read more.
Who makes winds His messengers, flames of fire His ministers. You laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be moved forever. You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains. At Your rebuke they fled; at the voice of Your thunder they hastened away. The mountains rose, the valleys sank down to the place which You appointed for them. You have set a boundary [for the waters] which they may not pass over, that they turn not again to deluge the earth. He sends forth springs into the valleys; their waters run among the mountains. They give drink to every [wild] beast of the field; the wild asses quench their thirst there. Beside them the birds of the heavens have their nests; they sing among the branches.

Luke 12:23-24

For life is more than food, and the body [more] than clothes. Observe and consider the ravens; for they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn; and [yet] God feeds them. Of how much more worth are you than the birds!

Birds » Used as sacrifices » Quails

Exodus 16:13

So in the evening the quails came up and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a blanket of dew around the camp.

Numbers 11:31

Now there went forth a wind from the Lord and it brought quails from the sea, and let them fall [so they flew low] beside the camp, about a day’s journey on this side and on the other side, all around the camp, about two cubits (three feet) deep on the surface of the ground.

Psalm 105:40


The Israelites asked, and He brought quail,
And satisfied them with the bread of heaven.

Birds » Divine care of

Luke 12:6

Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? Yet not one of them has [ever] been forgotten in the presence of God.

Birds » God's care for

Luke 12:6

Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? Yet not one of them has [ever] been forgotten in the presence of God.

Deuteronomy 22:6

“If you happen to come upon a bird’s nest along the road, in any tree or on the ground, with young ones or eggs, and the mother [bird] is sitting on the young or on the eggs, you shall not take the mother with the young.

Birds » Unclean » Vultures

Job 28:7


“The path [deep within] no bird of prey knows,
And the falcon’s eye has not caught sight of it.

Isaiah 34:15


There the arrow snake will make her nest and lay her eggs,
And hatch them and gather her young under her protection;
Indeed, the birds of prey will be gathered there [to breed],
Every one with its own kind.

Birds » Used as sacrifices » Swallows

Jeremiah 8:7


“Even the stork in the sky
Knows her seasons [of migration],
And the turtledove, the swallow and the crane
Observe the time of their return.
But My people do not know
The law of the Lord.

Psalm 84:3


The bird has found a house,
And the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young—
Even Your altars, O Lord of hosts,
My King and my God.

Isaiah 38:14


“Like a swallow, like a crane, so I chirp;
I coo like a dove.
My eyes look wistfully upward;
O Lord, I am oppressed, take my side and be my security.

Birds » Clean » Turtle

Leviticus 14:22

and two turtledoves or two young pigeons, such as he can afford, one shall be a sin offering, the other a burnt offering.

Song of Songs 2:12


‘The flowers appear on the earth once again;
The time for singing has come,
And the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.

Birds » Clean » To be eaten

Deuteronomy 14:11

“You may eat any clean bird.

Deuteronomy 14:20

You may eat any clean bird.

Birds » Rapid flight of, alluded to

Hosea 11:11


They will come trembling and hurriedly like birds from Egypt
And like doves from the land of Assyria;
And I will settle them in their houses [in the land of their inheritance], declares the Lord.

Isaiah 31:5


Like flying birds, so will the Lord of hosts protect Jerusalem;
He will protect and save it,
He will pass over and rescue it.

Hosea 9:11


As for Ephraim, their glory will fly away like a bird;
No birth, no pregnancy, and [because of their impurity] no conception.

Birds » Figurative

Isaiah 16:2


For like wandering birds or scattered nestlings,
The daughters of Moab will be at the fords of the [river] Arnon.

Isaiah 46:11


Calling a bird of prey from the east,
From a far country, the man (Cyrus) of My purpose.
Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass.
I have planned it, be assured I will do it.

Jeremiah 12:9


“Is My inheritance like a speckled bird of prey to Me [unlike the others]?
Are the birds of prey (enemies) surrounding her on every side?
Go, gather all the [wild] beasts of the field;
Bring them to devour [her]!

Ezekiel 39:4

You will fall [dead] on the mountains of Israel, you and all your troops and the nations who are with you. I will give you to every kind of predatory bird and animal of the field as food.

Birds » Unclean » Not to be eaten

Leviticus 11:13

‘These you shall detest among the birds; they are not to be eaten, for they are hated things: the eagle and the vulture and the buzzard,

Leviticus 11:17

the little owl and the cormorant and the great owl,

Birds » Clean » Sparrow

Leviticus 14:4

then the priest shall give orders to take two live clean birds and cedar wood and scarlet string and hyssop for the one to be cleansed.

Matthew 10:29-31

Are not two little sparrows sold for a penny? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father's leave (consent) and notice. But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, then; you are of more value than many sparrows.

Birds » Propagated by eggs

Deuteronomy 22:6

“If you happen to come upon a bird’s nest along the road, in any tree or on the ground, with young ones or eggs, and the mother [bird] is sitting on the young or on the eggs, you shall not take the mother with the young.

Jeremiah 17:11


“Like the partridge that hatches eggs which she has not laid,
So is he who makes a fortune in ways that are unjust.
It will be lost to him before his days are over,
And in the end he will be [nothing but] a fool.”

Birds » Clean » Partridge

Jeremiah 17:11


“Like the partridge that hatches eggs which she has not laid,
So is he who makes a fortune in ways that are unjust.
It will be lost to him before his days are over,
And in the end he will be [nothing but] a fool.”

1 Samuel 26:20

Now then, do not let my blood fall to the ground away from the presence of the Lord; for the king of Israel has come out to search for a single flea, just as when one hunts a [defenseless] partridge in the mountains.”

Birds » Clean » Pigeon

Leviticus 1:14

‘But if his offering to the Lord is a burnt offering of birds, then he shall bring turtledoves or young pigeons as his offering.

Leviticus 12:6

‘When the days of her purification are completed, whether for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the doorway of the Tent of Meeting a one year old lamb as a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a turtledove as a sin offering;

Birds » Make their nests » In clefts of rocks

Numbers 24:21

And Balaam looked at the Kenites and took up his [sixth] discourse (oracle) and said:

“Strong is your dwelling place,
And you set your nest in the cliff.

Jeremiah 48:28


“You inhabitants of Moab,
Leave the cities and live among the rocks,
And be like the dove that makes her nest
In the walls of the yawning ravine.

Birds » Unclean » Cormorant

Leviticus 11:17

the little owl and the cormorant and the great owl,

Isaiah 34:11


But the pelican and the porcupine will take possession of it;
The owl and the raven will dwell in it.
And He will stretch over it (Edom) the measuring line of desolation
And the plumb line of emptiness.

Birds » Unclean » Stork

Psalm 104:17


Where the birds make their nests;
As for the stork, the fir trees are her house.

Birds » Inhabit » Deserted cities

Isaiah 34:11


But the pelican and the porcupine will take possession of it;
The owl and the raven will dwell in it.
And He will stretch over it (Edom) the measuring line of desolation
And the plumb line of emptiness.

Isaiah 34:14-15

And the wild beasts of the desert will meet here with howling creatures [wolves and hyenas] and the [shaggy] wild goat will call to his fellow; the night monster will settle there and find a place of rest. There shall the arrow snake make her nest and lay her eggs and hatch them and gather her young under her shade; there shall the kites be gathered [also to breed] every one with its mate.

Birds » Songs of, at the break of day

Psalm 104:12


Beside them the birds of the heavens have their nests;
They lift up their voices and sing among the branches.

Ecclesiastes 12:4

when the doors (lips) are shut in the streets and the sound of the grinding [of the teeth] is low, and one rises at the sound of a bird and the crowing of a rooster, and all the daughters of music (voice, ears) sing softly.

Song of Songs 2:12


‘The flowers appear on the earth once again;
The time for singing has come,
And the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.

Birds » Unclean » Pelican

Leviticus 11:18

the white owl, the pelican, the carrion vulture,

Psalm 102:6


I am like a [mournful] vulture of the wilderness;
I am like a [desolate] owl of the wasteland.

Birds » Unclean » Bat

Isaiah 2:20


In that day men will throw away to the moles and to the bats
Their idols of silver and their idols of gold,
Which they made for themselves [as objects] to worship,

Birds » Clean » Offered in sacrifice

Leviticus 1:14

‘But if his offering to the Lord is a burnt offering of birds, then he shall bring turtledoves or young pigeons as his offering.

Birds » Often remove from places suffering calamities

Jeremiah 4:25


I looked, and behold, there was no man,
And all the birds of the air had fled.

Jeremiah 9:10


“I will take up a weeping and wailing for the mountains,
And a [funeral] dirge for the pastures of the wilderness,
Because they are burned up and desolated so that no one passes through [them];
Nor can anyone hear the lowing of cattle.
Both the birds of the air and the beasts have fled; they are gone.

Birds » Used as sacrifices » Ostriches

Job 39:13


“The [flightless] wings of the ostrich wave joyously;
With the pinion (shackles, fetters) and plumage of love,

Lamentations 4:3


Even the jackals offer the breast,
They nurse their young;
But the daughter of my people has become cruel
Like ostriches in the wilderness [that desert their young].

Birds » Illustrative » Of people of different countries

Ezekiel 31:6


‘All the birds of the sky made their nests in its twigs,
And under its branches all the animals of the field gave birth [to their young],
And all of the great nations lived under its shadow.

Matthew 13:32

and of all the seeds [planted in the region] it is the smallest, but when it has grown it is the largest of the garden herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air find shelter in its branches.”

Birds » Illustrative » Of the devil and his spirits

Matthew 13:19

When anyone hears the word of the kingdom [regarding salvation] and does not understand and grasp it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road.

Matthew 13:4

and as he sowed, some seed fell beside the road [between the fields], and the birds came and ate it.

Birds » Make their nests » In trees

Psalm 104:17


Where the birds make their nests;
As for the stork, the fir trees are her house.

Ezekiel 31:6


‘All the birds of the sky made their nests in its twigs,
And under its branches all the animals of the field gave birth [to their young],
And all of the great nations lived under its shadow.

Birds » Illustrative » Of unsettled persons, &c

Isaiah 16:2


For like wandering birds or scattered nestlings,
The daughters of Moab will be at the fords of the [river] Arnon.

Proverbs 27:8


Like a bird that wanders from her nest [with its comfort and safety],
So is a man who wanders from his home.

Birds » Unclean » Bittern

Isaiah 34:11


But the pelican and the porcupine will take possession of it;
The owl and the raven will dwell in it.
And He will stretch over it (Edom) the measuring line of desolation
And the plumb line of emptiness.

Isaiah 14:23

“I will also make Babylon a possession of the hedgehog and of swamps of water, and I will sweep it away with the broom of destruction,” declares the Lord of hosts.

Birds » Unclean » Eagle

Leviticus 11:13

‘These you shall detest among the birds; they are not to be eaten, for they are hated things: the eagle and the vulture and the buzzard,

Job 39:27


“Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up
And makes his nest on high [in an inaccessible place]?

Birds » Unclean » Raven

Birds » Unclean » Hawk

Leviticus 11:17

the little owl and the cormorant and the great owl,

Job 39:26


“Is it by your understanding that the hawk soars,
Stretching his wings toward the south [as winter approaches]?

Birds » Unclean » Owl

Job 30:29


“I am a brother to [howling] jackals,
And a companion to ostriches [which scream dismally].

Birds » Clean » Crane

Jeremiah 8:7


“Even the stork in the sky
Knows her seasons [of migration],
And the turtledove, the swallow and the crane
Observe the time of their return.
But My people do not know
The law of the Lord.

Isaiah 38:14


“Like a swallow, like a crane, so I chirp;
I coo like a dove.
My eyes look wistfully upward;
O Lord, I am oppressed, take my side and be my security.

Birds » Rest on trees

Daniel 4:12


‘Its leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant,
And in it was food for all.
The beasts of the field found shade under it,
And the birds of the sky nested in its branches,
And all living creatures fed themselves from it.

Matthew 13:32

and of all the seeds [planted in the region] it is the smallest, but when it has grown it is the largest of the garden herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air find shelter in its branches.”

Birds » Created by God

Genesis 2:19

So the Lord God formed out of the ground every animal of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name.

Genesis 1:20

Then God said, “Let the waters swarm and abundantly produce living creatures, and let birds soar above the earth in the open expanse of the heavens.”

Birds » Nests of

Psalm 104:17


Where the birds make their nests;
As for the stork, the fir trees are her house.

Matthew 13:32

and of all the seeds [planted in the region] it is the smallest, but when it has grown it is the largest of the garden herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air find shelter in its branches.”

Birds » Used as sacrifices » Peacocks

1 Kings 10:22

For the king had at sea the [large cargo] ships of Tarshish with the ships of Hiram. Once every three years the ships of Tarshish came bringing gold, silver, ivory, monkeys, and peacocks.

Job 39:13


“The [flightless] wings of the ostrich wave joyously;
With the pinion (shackles, fetters) and plumage of love,

Birds » Unclean » Peacock

1 Kings 10:22

For the king had at sea the [large cargo] ships of Tarshish with the ships of Hiram. Once every three years the ships of Tarshish came bringing gold, silver, ivory, monkeys, and peacocks.

Job 39:13


“The [flightless] wings of the ostrich wave joyously;
With the pinion (shackles, fetters) and plumage of love,

Birds » Clean » Swallow

Psalm 84:3


The bird has found a house,
And the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young—
Even Your altars, O Lord of hosts,
My King and my God.

Isaiah 38:14


“Like a swallow, like a crane, so I chirp;
I coo like a dove.
My eyes look wistfully upward;
O Lord, I am oppressed, take my side and be my security.

Birds » What species were unclean

Leviticus 11:13-20

These you shall have in abomination among the birds; they shall not be eaten, for they are detestable: the eagle, the ossifrage, the ospray, The kite, the whole species of falcon, Every kind of raven, read more.
The ostrich, the nighthawk, the sea gull, every species of hawk, The owl, the cormorant, the ibis, The swan, the pelican, the vulture, The stork, all kinds of heron, the hoopoe, and the bat. All winged insects that go upon all fours are to be an abomination to you;

Deuteronomy 14:12-19

But these are the ones which you shall not eat: the eagle, the vulture, the ospray, The buzzard, the kite in its several species, The raven in all its species, read more.
The ostrich, the nighthawk, the sea gull, the hawk of any variety, The little owl, the great owl, the horned owl, The pelican, the carrion vulture, the cormorant, The stork, the heron of any variety, the hoopoe, and the bat. And all flying insects are unclean for you; they shall not be eaten.

Birds » Power over, given to man

Genesis 1:26

Then God said, “Let Us (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) make man in Our image, according to Our likeness [not physical, but a spiritual personality and moral likeness]; and let them have complete authority over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the cattle, and over the entire earth, and over everything that creeps and crawls on the earth.”

Psalm 8:8


The birds of the air, and the fish of the sea,
Whatever passes through the paths of the seas.

Birds » Appointed for food

Genesis 9:2-3

And the fear of you and the dread and terror of you shall be upon every beast of the land, every bird of the air, all that creeps upon the ground, and upon all the fish of the sea; they are delivered into your hand. Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you; and as I gave you the green vegetables and plants, I give you everything.

Deuteronomy 14:11-20

Of all clean birds you may eat. But these are the ones which you shall not eat: the eagle, the vulture, the ospray, The buzzard, the kite in its several species, read more.
The raven in all its species, The ostrich, the nighthawk, the sea gull, the hawk of any variety, The little owl, the great owl, the horned owl, The pelican, the carrion vulture, the cormorant, The stork, the heron of any variety, the hoopoe, and the bat. And all flying insects are unclean for you; they shall not be eaten. But of all clean winged things you may eat.

Birds » Unclean » Ostrich

Job 39:13


“The [flightless] wings of the ostrich wave joyously;
With the pinion (shackles, fetters) and plumage of love,

Job 39:18


“Yet when she lifts herself on high,
[So swift is she that] she laughs at the horse and his rider.

Birds » Differ in flesh from beasts and fishes

1 Corinthians 15:39

All flesh is not the same. There is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish.

Birds » Cages of

Revelation 18:2

And he shouted with a mighty voice, saying, “Fallen, fallen [certainly to be destroyed] is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place for demons, a dungeon haunted by every unclean spirit, and a prison for every unclean and loathsome bird.

Birds » Habits of

Job 39:13-18

The wings of the ostrich wave proudly, [but] are they the pinions and plumage of love? The ostrich leaves her eggs on the ground and warms them in the dust, Forgetting that a foot may crush them or that the wild beast may trample them. read more.
She is hardened against her young ones, as though they were not hers; her labor is in vain because she has no sense of danger [for her unborn brood], For God has deprived her of wisdom, neither has He imparted to her understanding. Yet when she lifts herself up in flight, [so swift is she that] she can laugh to scorn the horse and his rider.

Job 39:26-30

Is it by your wisdom [Job] that the hawk soars and stretches her wings toward the south [as winter approaches]? Does the eagle mount up at your command and make his nest on high [inaccessible place]? On the cliff he dwells and remains securely, upon the point of the rock and the stronghold. read more.
From there he spies out the prey; and his eyes see it afar off. His young ones suck up blood, and where the slain are, there is he.

Birds » Not to be eaten with their young

Deuteronomy 22:6-7

If a bird's nest should chance to be before you in the way, in any tree or on the ground, with young ones or eggs, and the mother bird is sitting on the young or on the eggs, you shall not take the mother bird with the young. You shall surely let the mother bird go, and take only the young, that it may be well with you and that you may prolong your days.

Birds » Illustrative » (snaring,) of death

Ecclesiastes 9:12

For man also does not know his time [of death]; like fish caught in a treacherous net, and birds caught in the snare, so the sons of men are ensnared in an evil time when a dark cloud suddenly falls on them.

Birds » Unclean » Glede

Deuteronomy 14:13

and the red kite, the falcon, and the birds of prey of any variety,

Birds » Domesticated

Job 41:5


“Will you play with him as with a bird?
Or will you bind him [and put him on a leash] for your maidens?

Birds » Make their nests » On the ground

Deuteronomy 22:6

“If you happen to come upon a bird’s nest along the road, in any tree or on the ground, with young ones or eggs, and the mother [bird] is sitting on the young or on the eggs, you shall not take the mother with the young.

Birds » Called » Winged fowl

Deuteronomy 4:17

the likeness of any animal that is on the earth, or of any winged bird that flies in the sky,

Birds » No likeness of, to be made for worship

Deuteronomy 4:17

the likeness of any animal that is on the earth, or of any winged bird that flies in the sky,

Birds » Unclean » Ossifrage

Leviticus 11:13

‘These you shall detest among the birds; they are not to be eaten, for they are hated things: the eagle and the vulture and the buzzard,

Birds » Unclean » Little owl

Leviticus 11:17

the little owl and the cormorant and the great owl,

Birds » Unclean » Gier eagle

Leviticus 11:18

the white owl, the pelican, the carrion vulture,

Birds » Unclean » Great owl

Leviticus 11:17

the little owl and the cormorant and the great owl,

Birds » Unclean » Lapwing

Birds » Unclean » Osprey

Leviticus 11:13

‘These you shall detest among the birds; they are not to be eaten, for they are hated things: the eagle and the vulture and the buzzard,

Birds » Unclean » Cuckoo

Birds » Unclean » Heron

Birds » Unclean » Kite

Birds » Unclean » Swan

Leviticus 11:18

the white owl, the pelican, the carrion vulture,

Birds » Unclean » Night hawk

Birds » Clean » Quail

Exodus 16:12-13

I have heard the murmurings of the Israelites; speak to them, saying, At twilight you shall eat meat, and between the two evenings you shall be filled with bread; and you shall know that I am the Lord your God. In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning the dew lay round about the camp.

Birds » Names given to, by adam

Genesis 2:19-20

And out of the ground the Lord God formed every [wild] beast and living creature of the field and every bird of the air and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them; and whatever Adam called every living creature, that was its name. And Adam gave names to all the livestock and to the birds of the air and to every [wild] beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found a helper meet (suitable, adapted, complementary) for him.

Birds » The blood of, not to be eaten

Leviticus 7:26

Moreover, you are not to eat any blood [of any kind], whether of bird or animal, in any of your dwelling places.

Birds » Illustrative » Of hostile nations

Jeremiah 12:9


“Is My inheritance like a speckled bird of prey to Me [unlike the others]?
Are the birds of prey (enemies) surrounding her on every side?
Go, gather all the [wild] beasts of the field;
Bring them to devour [her]!

Birds » Called » Feathered fowl

Ezekiel 39:17

“As for you, son of man, thus says the Lord God, ‘Say to every kind of bird and to every animal of the field, “Assemble and come, gather from every side to My sacrifice that I am slaughtering for you, as a great sacrificial feast on the mountains of Israel, and you will eat flesh and drink blood.

Birds » Confinement » Cages

Jeremiah 5:27


‘As a cage is full of birds,
So are their houses full of deceit and treachery;
Therefore they have become influential and rich.

Birds » Are hostile to strange kinds

Jeremiah 12:9


“Is My inheritance like a speckled bird of prey to Me [unlike the others]?
Are the birds of prey (enemies) surrounding her on every side?
Go, gather all the [wild] beasts of the field;
Bring them to devour [her]!

Birds » Taken in snares or nets

Proverbs 1:17


Indeed, it is useless to spread the baited net
In the sight of any bird;

Birds » Given as food to man

Genesis 9:2-3

And the fear of you and the dread and terror of you shall be upon every beast of the land, every bird of the air, all that creeps upon the ground, and upon all the fish of the sea; they are delivered into your hand. Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you; and as I gave you the green vegetables and plants, I give you everything.

Birds » Make their nests » Deserted cities

Isaiah 34:15


There the arrow snake will make her nest and lay her eggs,
And hatch them and gather her young under her protection;
Indeed, the birds of prey will be gathered there [to breed],
Every one with its own kind.

Birds » Illustrative » Of cruel and rapacious kings

Isaiah 46:11


Calling a bird of prey from the east,
From a far country, the man (Cyrus) of My purpose.
Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass.
I have planned it, be assured I will do it.

Birds » Inhabit » Marshes

Isaiah 14:23

“I will also make Babylon a possession of the hedgehog and of swamps of water, and I will sweep it away with the broom of destruction,” declares the Lord of hosts.

Birds » Called » Birds of the air

Birds » Early distinguished into clean and clean

Birds » Herb of the field given as food to

Genesis 1:30

and to all the animals on the earth and to every bird of the air and to everything that moves on the ground—to everything in which there is the breath of life—I have given every green plant for food”; and it was so [because He commanded it].

Birds » Created for the glory of God

Psalm 148:10


Beasts and all cattle;
Creeping things and winged birds;

Birds » Many kinds of, granivorous

Matthew 13:4

and as he sowed, some seed fell beside the road [between the fields], and the birds came and ate it.

Birds » Many kinds of, migratory

Jeremiah 8:7


“Even the stork in the sky
Knows her seasons [of migration],
And the turtledove, the swallow and the crane
Observe the time of their return.
But My people do not know
The law of the Lord.

Birds » Make, and dwell in nests

Birds » Fly above the earth

Genesis 1:20

Then God said, “Let the waters swarm and abundantly produce living creatures, and let birds soar above the earth in the open expanse of the heavens.”

Birds » Solomon wrote the history of

1 Kings 4:33

He spoke of trees, from the cedar which is in Lebanon to the hyssop [vine] that grows on the wall; he spoke also of animals, of birds, of creeping things, and fish.

Birds » Inhabit » Mountains

Psalm 50:11


“I know every bird of the mountains,
And everything that moves in the field is Mine.

Birds » Inhabit » Deserts

Psalm 102:6


I am like a [mournful] vulture of the wilderness;
I am like a [desolate] owl of the wasteland.

Birds » Called » Fowls of the air

Genesis 7:3

also of the birds of the air, seven pair, the male and the female, to keep the offspring alive on the surface of the earth.

Birds » Clean » Dove

Genesis 8:8

Then Noah sent out a dove to see if the water level had fallen below the surface of the land.

Birds » Often worshipped by idolaters

Romans 1:23

and exchanged the glory and majesty and excellence of the immortal God for an image [worthless idols] in the shape of mortal man and birds and four-footed animals and reptiles.

Birds » Furnished with claws

Daniel 4:33

Immediately the word concerning Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from mankind and began eating grass like cattle, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven until his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails were like birds’ claws.

Birds » Instinctively fear man

Genesis 9:2

The fear and the terror of you shall be [instinctive] in every animal of the land and in every bird of the air; and together with everything that moves on the ground, and with all the fish of the sea; they are given into your hand.

Birds » The property of God

Psalm 50:11


“I know every bird of the mountains,
And everything that moves in the field is Mine.

Birds » Make their nests » Under the roofs of houses

Psalm 84:3


The bird has found a house,
And the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young—
Even Your altars, O Lord of hosts,
My King and my God.

Birds » Creation of, on the fifth creative day

Genesis 1:20-30

And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly and swarm with living creatures, and let birds fly over the earth in the open expanse of the heavens. God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, which the waters brought forth abundantly, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good (suitable, admirable) and He approved it. And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let the fowl multiply in the earth. read more.
And there was evening and there was morning, a fifth day. And God said, Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creeping things, and [wild] beasts of the earth according to their kinds. And it was so. And God made the [wild] beasts of the earth according to their kinds, and domestic animals according to their kinds, and everything that creeps upon the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good (fitting, pleasant) and He approved it. God said, Let Us [Father, Son, and Holy Spirit] make mankind in Our image, after Our likeness, and let them have complete authority over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the [tame] beasts, and over all of the earth, and over everything that creeps upon the earth. So God created man in His own image, in the image and likeness of God He created him; male and female He created them. And God blessed them and said to them, Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it [using all its vast resources in the service of God and man]; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and over every living creature that moves upon the earth. And God said, See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the land and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. And to all the animals on the earth and to every bird of the air and to everything that creeps on the ground -- "to everything in which there is the breath of life -- "I have given every green plant for food. And it was so.

Birds » Called » Fowls of heaven

Job 35:11


Who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth
And makes us wiser than the birds of the heavens?’

Birds » Moses' law protected the mother from being taken with the young

Deuteronomy 22:6-7

If a bird's nest should chance to be before you in the way, in any tree or on the ground, with young ones or eggs, and the mother bird is sitting on the young or on the eggs, you shall not take the mother bird with the young. You shall surely let the mother bird go, and take only the young, that it may be well with you and that you may prolong your days.

Birds » Instinct of, inferior to man's reason

Job 35:11


Who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth
And makes us wiser than the birds of the heavens?’

Birds » Can all be tamed

Birds » Solomon's proverbs of

1 Kings 4:33

He spoke of trees, from the cedar which is in Lebanon to the hyssop [vine] that grows on the wall; he spoke also of animals, of birds, of creeping things, and fish.

Birds » Lessons of wisdom to be learned from

Job 12:7


“Now ask the animals, and let them teach you [that God does not deal with His creatures according to their character];
And ask the birds of the air, and let them tell you;

Birds » Migrate

Jeremiah 8:7


“Even the stork in the sky
Knows her seasons [of migration],
And the turtledove, the swallow and the crane
Observe the time of their return.
But My people do not know
The law of the Lord.

Birds » Instincts of

Proverbs 1:17


Indeed, it is useless to spread the baited net
In the sight of any bird;

Birds » Figurative » Symbolical

Daniel 7:6

After this I kept looking, and behold, another one (the Greek Empire of Alexander the Great), like a leopard, which had on its back four wings like those of a bird; the beast also had four heads (Alexander’s generals, his successors), and power to rule was given to it.

Topics on Birds

Birds Eating

Genesis 40:19

within three more days Pharaoh will lift up your head and will hang you on a tree (gallows, pole), and [you will not so much as be given a burial, but] the birds will eat your flesh.”

Birds Of Prey

Genesis 15:11

The birds of prey swooped down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away.

Birds, Features Of

Genesis 1:20

Then God said, “Let the waters swarm and abundantly produce living creatures, and let birds soar above the earth in the open expanse of the heavens.”

Birds, Figurative Use

Psalm 124:7


We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowlers;
The trap is broken and we have escaped.

Birds, Types Of Birds

Leviticus 11:13

‘These you shall detest among the birds; they are not to be eaten, for they are hated things: the eagle and the vulture and the buzzard,

Never miss a post

Related Readings

Theasaurus: Birds