50 Creative Crane Tattoos

Bird tattoos are awesome. After all, there are so many directions that you can go in as far as tattoos. You can go American classic and get a big traditional eagle tattoo. You can go quirky and opt for a flamingo with a top hat and monocle. Or you can go delicate and dainty with a micro hummingbird. For me, I say the bigger the better.

One of the largest birds that’s still able to fly (sorry ostriches) are cranes. Cranes are known for their long legs and long necks, with 15 species found throughout the world—aside from Antarctica and South America. Against popular belief, they’re not related to herons, despite looking incredibly similar.

One of the most celebrated and rare breeds of crane is the red-crowned crane. These cranes are native to East Asia and are known for the red patch of skin on the top of their heads. They’re one of the largest cranes, with a height between 4 ft 11 in and 5 ft 2 in and a wingspan of 7 ft 3 in to 8 ft 2 in. They’re widely celebrated throughout many East Asian countries, often representing luck, longevity and fidelity. There are many myths of cranes throughout China, Japan and Korea, with numerous depictions in art dating back centuries.

In honor of all the cranes, particularly the red-crowned crane, take a peek at 50 epic tattoos from talented artists around the world in the gallery below. Then let us know your favorite tattoo from this list in the comments section on social media.