The Ultimate Guide to Bird Monuments

If you’ve ever found yourself captivated by the sight of a cardinal or enthralled by an eagle soaring overhead, you’ve joined in one of the oldest human traditions: birdwatching. History is filled with evidence of our avian fascination: cave paintings often feature bird imagery, and the oldest piece of art from China is a tiny passerine carved from a bit of bone 13,000 years ago. Our feathered friends are a part of more modern creations too, from intricate paper art to flight-pattern photography.

These are some of the best monuments, memorials, and taxidermy that celebrate birds around the world. Some evoke qualities that we associate with types of birds—the beauty of a peacock or the wisdom of an owl—while others honor specific birds—like the raven that Charles Dickens kept as a pet or a goose that accompanied children on their walk to school. And unlike their living counterparts, none of these will fly away before you have a chance to see them.