History Main / BirdPeople

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[[quoteright:350:[[TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rsz_aarakocra.png]]]]

Bird People are found in fantasy and science fiction alike. They are frequently a ProudWarriorRace. They'll often be called "avians", some derivative of that word, or "{{tengu}}" after a similar creature in Myth/JapaneseMythology. Because of the tactical advantage conferred by avian biology (flight, enhanced reflexes) they're usually balanced by making them physically weak (often due to the hollow bones necessary for flight). In video games, they tend to be {{Glass Cannon}}s. Being able to fly also allows them to control vast territorial ranges, so they are rarely depicted forming large cities or centralized societies as other races do.

Subtrope of BeastMan. Compare and contrast WingedHumanoid (essentially human except for wings), HarpingOnAboutHarpies (half-bird/half-human in varying degrees), BatPeople (for another kind of winged humanoid), and TheMothman (a cryptid said to resemble a bird-like humanoid).

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

[[folder:Card Games]]
* ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'': The aven are humanoid birds present in several planes. They typically resemble generic birds of prey like eagles and hawks, but [[https://scryfall.com/card/cma/1/aerie-mystics owl]], [[https://scryfall.com/card/con/50/pestilent-kathari vulture]], [[https://scryfall.com/card/ema/30/soulcatcher crow]] and [[https://scryfall.com/card/akh/43/aven-initiate ibis]]-like forms are also known; they are typically aligned with White and Blue mana (on the plane of Amonkhet, the color they align to actually determines whether they resemble hawks or ibises, respectively), with the Grixis vulture-like Kathari being an exception, aligned with Black mana instead. Most have six limbs -- two wings, two arms, two legs -- and mostly avian body plans, with some exceptions such as the aven from Tarkir -- which have just four limbs, with the forelimbs being both the arms and wings -- and those from Amonkhet -- which resemble otherwise normal humans with bird heads and wings.
[[/folder]]

* The Teppan from ''ComicBook/TysonHessesDiesel''. To drive it home, they're also referred to as "birdmen."
* The Feitherans, whom the Golden Age ComicBook/{{Hawkman}} has befriended and from whom came Norda Cantrell (Northwind) of ''ComicBook/InfinityInc''.

* ''ComicBook/LegendsOfTheDeadEarth'':
** In ''ComicBook/{{Batman}}'' Annual #20, it is believed that the Scarecrow was an actual bird person who was hired by the food controllers of Old Gotham to scare away the birds that were eating their crops. The Scarecrow was so good at his job that he soon became the Lord and Master of the Gotham food area.
** In the ''Franchise/GreenLantern'' Annual #5 story "Nobler in the Mind", the Green Lantern El'qa Squa Zreenah is badly injured in a space battle with the Statejians, one of the most powerful and dangerous races in the universe, and he is forced to retreat to the planet Qualar IV. He finds that the planet is inhabited by a sentient race of avians who resemble giant chickens.
* The ''ComicBook/{{Superman}}'' story arc ''ComicBook/TheLeperFromKrypton'' has the Knorrians, a race of avian, yellow-feathered humanoids with scaly legs and sharp talons.
* ''ComicBook/XMen'':
** The Shi'ar are bird people, although generally the only sign of it is their weird hair, which is actually feathers. Occasionally you'll see one with wings or talons, such as Deathbird.
** Barnell Bohusk/Beak from ''Comicbook/NewXMen'' was a mutant with an avian appearance, most notably a beak-like mouth and feathered/scaled arms which gave him the ability to slow a fall if he really tried. He's an example of a really debilitating mutation. One of his kids gets off easier by growing into an imposing eagle-man, with a body covered in feathers, a powerful curved beak, talons for feet, and powerful wings that made him an excellent flier.
** In ''ComicBook/UltimateXMen'', when Angel takes a power-enhancing PsychoSerum, he gains an eagle head and talons for hands and feet.

* Marvel's ''ComicBook/HowardTheDuck'' has a long and complicated history, but is in most versions from a planet of anthropomorphic ducks.

* ''Fanfic/VowOfNudity'': Squawk, a minor antagonist encountered in a single story, is a half-witted corvid cultist who can only [[TheEchoer repeat the last few words]] of whatever someone just said to her. (Yet somehow she still manages to carry on coherent conversations with different characters about a variety of topics.)

* ''Film/BatmanReturns'' controversially gave The Penguin this treatment, after director Creator/TimBurton expressed dissatisfaction with the more traditional depiction of "a guy in a tuxedo." Since the template was of a ''flightless'' bird, Danny [=DeVito's=] costume consisted of a stout, blubbery body; hands shaped almost like flippers; a nose that curved forward like a beak; beady eyes sheathed by dark, avian eyelids; almost-reptilian teeth; and a shock of long, thin, stringy hair (which, with a little imagination, could be likened to feathers) sprouting from an otherwise bald head.

* The Skeksis in ''Film/TheDarkCrystal'' are a race of more or less humanoid vulture-like creatures, though WordOfGod also claims reptilian aspects made into their design. Their counterparts, the Mystics, looked like toothed, deep-billed emus.
* The ''Hawkmen'' in ''Film/FlashGordon1980'' flying winged people, only the men are shown flying.
* The Warrior Forms of Atzi, Tetzin, and [[spoiler:Elmer and Garras]] in ''WesternAnimation/TheGuardiansOfTheLostCode'' are humanoid birds; Atzi in her warrior form looks like a female humanoid hummingbird, while Tetzin looks like a very beautiful humanoid women eagle, while [[spoiler:Elmer and Garras take on the warrior form of a powerful demonic humanoid hummingbird]].
* The movie ''Film/HowardTheDuck'' adapted from the comic of the same name, famous for being SoBadItsGood, has a glimpse of Howards planet made of anthropomorphic ducks as himself. Howard has also made some cameos in the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse

* The quest of the four-part epic adventure, ''Literature/{{Sorcery}}'' is in fact kicked off when the birdmen serving the Archmage of Mampang steals the sacred Crown of Kings, and the hero, the Champion of Analand, must set off on a lengthy quest to retrieve the crown. In the fourth book when the hero finally reaches the Mampang Fortress, the then finds out there's a LaResistance of lawful birdmen against the Archmage's tyranny - after defeating the Archmage, the hero then enlists the assistance of a birdman ally named Peewit Croo to fly him all the way back home.

[[folder:Myths & Religion]]
* The [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chickcharney Chickcharney]], a being from Caribbean folklore, is said to be a humanoid [[OminousOwl owl]] claimed to inhabit the dense forests of the Bahamas. Common tales state that, if a traveler treats one of these creatures well, they will be rewarded with good luck, whereas mistreating a chickcharney results in bad luck and hard times. Some believe that the legend behind this creature may have been inspired by persistent populations of ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyto_pollens Tyto pollens]]'', an extinct, flightless species of barn owl which measured 1 meter in height and was native to Andros Island.
* Myth/ChineseMythology: According to the ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huainanzi Huainanzi]]'' (淮南子) and the ''Shanhaijing'' (山海經/山海经, "The Classic of Mountains and Seas") texts, two of the "36 Overseas Nations" (海外三十六國/海外三十六国) classify as this:
** The Nation of Feathered People (羽民國/羽民国, ''Yǔmín'guó''). Their people are described to have long and sharp heads with beaks, white hair, and red eyes, and are hatched from eggs. They are also said to [[WingedHumanoid have wings on their backs]], but cannot fly far.
** The Nation of the Cheerful-Headed (讙頭國/讙头国, ''Huāntóuguó''). Their people are said to be half-man and half-bird, having human faces with beaks and wings, but are flightless and have to hold their wings like crutches to walk.
* In early Myth/ClassicalMythology, sirens were women with bird-like traits, but because the stories always feature them at the seaside, later depictions [[SirensAreMermaids tend to make them fish-like instead]]. [[HarpingOnAboutHarpies Harpies]] are also a mix of birds and women, with the degree of anthropomorphism varying over time.
** In a legend involving Alexander the Great, as he is marching his army through India he is attacked by a tribe of anthropomorphic birdmen that took after ravens. They assaulted his troops with spears and projectiles, killing around 300 foot soldiers and several cavalry men before he managed to defeat them. In a lot of ways they bear a strong similarity to wingless kenku from D&D.
* In Myth/EgyptianMythology, Horus, Ra and Thoth were gods with avian heads.
* Garuda from Myth/HinduMythology, sworn enemy of the Nagas and Vishnu's mount. His name also appears in Buddhist myth as that of an entire race.
* Sometimes the {{tengu}} from Myth/JapaneseMythology is depicted as a bird-headed humanoid and other times as a bird-human hybrid, although a confused history and the ability to [[ShapeShifter shapeshift]] has led to it having a wide variety of different forms.
* Contrary to the name implying an insect-like creature, TheMothman was frequently described as resembling a large, [[HumanoidAbomination distressingly-humanlike]] bird, to the point that many skeptics have argued that what people were seeing were likely large owls or sandhill cranes (the latter being both fairly tall and usually standing upright in a way that can make them look rather humanoid). Many reports even outright say the creature had feathers.
[[/folder]]

* The Haspur in Creator/MercedesLackey's ''Literature/BardicVoices'' series are anthropomorphic eagles who excel at singing.
* Creator/ChinaMieville's ''Literature/PerdidoStreetStation'' has Yagharek, a member of a race of bird people called the Garuda.
* In SA Swann's ''Literature/TerranConfederacy'' universe, the Volerans, the second alien species humanity meets and the first with their own FTL empire, are broadly avian, resembling colorful eyeless ostriches.
* ''Franchise/StarWarsLegends'' :
** The novel ''Han Solo at Star's End'' included an appearance by a member of the Lafrarian species, who is described as basically being a "bird-man." West End Games (the ''TabletopGame/StarWarsD6'' roleplaying-game resource) later clarified that Lafrarians are an avian species who had lost their wings (though their arms are still very wing-shaped) but retained their beaked noses and covering of feathers on the head (which, in their attempt to look more humanoid, they style to look more like EightiesHair).
** ''Literature/NewJediOrder'' has Vergere, who is a Fosh. She is a feathered avian creature with a bird like head, including the beak, and scaly clawed feet.
* ''Literature/TheEdgeChronicles'' have shrykes, a [[FeatheredFiend nasty example]] of the trope. Both genders are flightless, but female shrykes are larger and more aggressive, usually working as vicious warriors and slavers. The smaller and weaker males are often treated like slaves themselves.
* Creator/AlastairReynolds' novel ''Literature/RevelationSpace'' (part of his eponymous hard SF space opera series) has the extinct civilisation of the "Amarantine", who once inhabited an Earth-like (and now dead) planet orbiting Delta Pavonis. The first chapter of the novel starts at an archaeological dig of an Amarantine settlement. Amarantine skeletons are noted to be rather humanoid, and their skulls are apparently somewhat crested. As the novel progresses, mysteries surrounding the extinction of the species start pointing to a larger enigma behind the novel's overarching story.
* The Ythrians in ''Literature/TechnicHistory''. They are carnivorous [[WarriorPoet HunterPoets]] rather like [[NobleBirdOfPrey eagles]]. One of the more notable things about them is an organ designed to pump extra oxygen into the wings to give them more lift.
* There are a species of bird-like people in ''Literature/DamselsOfDistress'' stories called pteranthropes. They have avian wings growing out of their lower backs that are fully functional and they have talons in place of humanoid feet. There are three sub-species of pteranthrope with boreads, tengus, and garudas.

%%* ''Literature/PlayPlaces'': Lanmia have feathers, hollowed bones, and a beak.%%Are they humanoid or what?
* ''Literature/{{Kadingir}}'': The Anzuds are nomad humanoid birds with outstanding empathic senses and an unbridled joie de vivre. They are the only race in their planet with the ability to fly.
* In ''Literature/TheListeners'' by Creator/JamesEGunn, a major breakthrough comes when a part of the alien signal is discovered to be an image—and the image is a winged, bird-like creature with multiple arms.
* In ''Literature/TheShapeChanger'', the second person O'Leary experiences a FreakyFridayFlip with is a bird-like humanoid from a nearby universe.

* The horowitzes in Creator/PhilipJoseFarmer's series of ''Father Carmody'' stories. These birdlike creatures attach their eggs to hosts (including John Carmody) who will hatch them. Father Carmody provides them with spoken language and a quasi-religious ritual of thanksgiving.

* ''Series/SesameStreet'' gave us the famous character of Big Bird.
* The Guts from ''Series/UltraSeven'' are a race of parrot-headed aliens who stand as among Ultraseven's most dangerous foes due to their DoppelgangerAttack powers, penchant for TeleportSpam, and ability to fire paralyzing EyeBeams.
** The Ultramen themselves were [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bemlar.png originally going to be these]], based on Garuda and the Tengu. However, this was scrapped when it was decided the heroes needed to look less monstrous than the villains to make it clear who was on what side.
* Hawk, introduced in the second season of ''Series/BuckRogersInTheTwentyFifthCentury'' as TokenNonHuman is LastOfHisKind from a race of bird people.

* ''Franchise/BattleTechExpandedUniverse'': In the novel ''Far Country'', the Tetatae are an intelligent species of pre-industrial flightless birds, with claws where wings would be. They're largely pacifistic, avoiding conflict, and are largely hunter-gatherers despite maintaining fields. [[AbsentAliens They never appear in the greater universe]], as their system was only found from a malfunction BlindJump that totaled the [=JumpShip=], stranding the crew in the system.
* The Ravenvir, a race of humanoid ravens, are notable as the only species of avian [[BeastMan Wilderkind]] in ''TabletopGame/TheChroniclesOfAeres''. They even get a unique racial statblock, rather than being folded into the generic Wilderkind profile. In their mythology, they descend from two ravens who served the beast-god Tolgamyr by seeking out knowledge from the wider world and sharing it to the isolated deity; eventually, he turned them and a flock of their fellows into humanoids so they could more readily roam the world and learn things to tell him.
** The expansion "The Doom That Came to Astreas: adds the Orinvir, an arrogant race of humanoid eagles warped from a once-glorious human nation that inhabited the western mountains of Astreas. They're known for their martial prowess, their flourishing civilization tht has never been conquered, and their Byzantine internal politics.

* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons''

** Dire corbies are huge black bipedal birds about the height of a human being, and live underground. They have birdlike heads and feet and their hands end in claws. They hunt in flocks, running down their hapless victims while emitting horrifying shrieks.

** The Raptorans are a race invented for ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragonsThirdEdition'' who really favor the "people" aspect of the equation, resembling [[WingedHumanoid humans with bird wings]] who lay eggs. They are the descendants of a human cult devoted to the [[ElementalEmbodiement Elemental Lords of Air]], who received their avian traits as part of a pact of loyalty. They initially hatch as poor flyers, and mature fledglings are formally exiled from their homes until they grow strong enough to be able to fly at will. To compensate for the high attrition rate, raptorans are characterized as {{Explosive Breeder}}s; raptoran woman produce an everage of 4 eggs a year, and are fertile until the age of 150.

* TabletopGame/WerewolfTheApocalypse has the Corax wereravens who, like most of the setting's werecreatures, can take the form of an animal (a raven in their case of course), a human or the "war form," a large and powerful combination of the two. Notably however the Corax mostly avoid taking their war form partially because they are messengers and spies, not warriors, fighting is the werewolves job, but also because most people, including the Corax themselves, think their bird man form looks absurd and it's embarrassing to change into it.

* Epsilon-Eagle, the protagonist from the Sega Genesis run-and-gun shooter ''VideoGame/AlienSoldier''. He's a wingless birdman, although he has steel wings to compensate for this.
* ''VideoGame/ArrogationUnlightOfDay'' has a creepy raven-man monster resembling a crow-headed humanoid with gigantic wings pursuing you at random points. Luckily, despite having wings, [[WingsDoNothing it can't fly]].
* Reiji's crow form from the FightingGame ''VideoGame/BloodyRoar''. An example of a non-GlassCannon fighter, as Reiji is more of a LightningBruiser and battling with him is somewhat like trying to fight a giant blender.

* Tengu, a playable race in ''VideoGame/DungeonCrawl''. They possess beaks and clawed feet but no wings, although they gain magical flight after gaining enough experience in the dungeon. Being a ProudWarriorRace, they have excellent aptitudes for all skills relating to combat, but their avian bodies are somewhat frail, making them [[GlassCannon Glass Cannons]]. They were originally named Kenku after the bird race from ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'', but this was changed to Tengu in a later version.
* The Ixal from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'' are vicious race of flightless avian beastmen who worship the mad wind elemental Garuda. Since they cannot fly, they travel in the air with hot air balloons. ''Heavensward'' introduces a second avian beastmen race called the Vanu Vanu, who are very portly while [[StoutStrength having the muscle to back it up]] and they worship a whale-like water/wind god named Bismarck. The Vanu Vanu are also a ProudWarriorRace and they perform the Sundrop Dance to show off their strength and intimidate their opponents. Like the Ixali, the Vanu Vanu cannot fly and they ride serpentine creatures that can fly.
* Tengu from ''VideoGame/GuildWars'' and ''VideoGame/GuildWars2''. In the first game they were scattered across Tyria and Cantha and, due to being harassed by the other races, were almost universally hostile. Between the two games the scattered tribes united and built an isolated kingdom to avoid further abuse.
* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda''

** In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker'', the Rito [[note]]They have a PunnyName. It's an anagram of "tori", which means "bird" in Japanese, as well as a reference to Ruto, one of their ancestors.[[/note]] people are feathered humanoids with beaks who gain wings on adulthood when they receive a scale from the dragon that acts as their guardian deity. They are descendants of the Zora, a race of FishPeople who were transformed by the gods after TheGreatFlood so that the Great Ocean could remain mostly lifeless. [[spoiler:Likely as a way to keep the flooded kingdom of Hyrule hidden.]] Also the Wizzrobe enemies, while normally just men in cloaks, are redesigned as Toucans with colorful beaks and wing-arms visible underneath their cloaks. This is part because the Wizzrobes' original art in the early games, when brightened up, made their hooked noses look a lot like bird beaks.

* The Raloi in the ''Franchise/MassEffect'' series are an avian species mentioned in Codex entries, although never seen in-game, due to them collectively throwing their arms up and destroying their tech base, then retreating to their homeworld when [[PrecursorKillers the Reapers show up]] a mere year after they have first contact with the Council races.

* In ''VideoGame/EVOSearchForEden,'' after the dinosaurs are wiped out the player can find a society of bird people living in a fortress in the sky.

* The Chozo of the ''{{Franchise/Metroid}}'' series are a species of bird-like aliens who raised the protagonist Samus and infused her with their DNA. Their name in English "Chozo" is an anglicisation of their name in Japanese, "chojin-zoku" (bird-folk race).

** Blaziken is the final evolution of the starter Pokémon Torchic (a small Fire-type chick). It resembles a tall humanoid with a beak and clawed hands and feet, but no wings (possibly because of its chicken heritage). It makes up for it's lack of wings by [[InASingleBound jumping really high.]]

** Quaquaval is a Water/Fighting type and like Blaziken, is a the final evolution of a starter Pokémon (Quaxly in this case). It resembles a humanoid duck with blue tail feathers which it elongates at will, resembling a mix between a peacock and a carnival dancer.

** Ferdinand Charles Duckinson The Third is an anthropomorphic duck.
* The Aviansie (sometimes Aviantese) from ''VideoGame/RuneScape'' are a near-extinct race of bird people, recently returned to the world after being discovered frozen in ice. It's later revealed that they come from a DeathWorld called Abbinah and that a small number where able to return home and [[NotSoExtinct stabilise and replenish their numbers]].
** Their god who united their species, Armadyl, was originally a mortal Aviansie before [[DeityOfHumanOrigin gaining godhood]].
** 2018's Halloween event reveals [[HorsemenOfTheApocalypse Famine of the Horsemen]] is a [[CirclingVultures vulture]] type Aviantese.

* Birdmen are a recurring race in the ''VideoGame/ShiningSeries'' games - [[BattleCouple Balbaroy & Amon]] in Shining Force 1 and Luke & Screech in Shining Force 2.
* The [[http://megamitensei.wikia.com/wiki/Tengu Tengu]] from ''Franchise/ShinMegamiTensei''
* The Avian race from ''VideoGame/{{Starbound}}''. Their [[ScaryAmoralReligion cultural beliefs]] demand [[HumanSacrifice religious suicide and sacrifice of others]], although there are a fair few DefectorFromDecadence Avians. All of their tech, clothing, buildings, etc are {{Mayincatec}} themed
* The Talortai, the species of Urai Fen in ''[[VideoGame/EmpireAtWar Star Wars: Empire at War: Forces of Corruption]]''.

* A few of the Halloween-exclusive cosmetic items in ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'' turn a few of the mercenaries into bird people. Well, bird-headed people. Note that it's not masks--several of the lines indicate that their heads have ''actually'' turned into bird's heads, and that they are now semi-anthropomorphized birds. The [[MadScientist Medic]] even says that he [[ProfessorGuineaPig experimented on his own head]]!
* The Alkari from the ''VideoGame/MasterOfOrion'' series vary in appearance throughout the series, but they're all obviously based off of avians, and when a playable faction are given a ship defense advantage due to their innate grasp of 3D motion from their species ancestors.

* ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'':
** The Crow Demons from ''VideoGame/DarkSouls1'' are a malicious and semi-sentient form, but Ornifex from ''VideoGame/DarkSouls2'' shows that they may be capable of higher thought but simply choose not to engage you.
** ''VideoGame/DarkSouls3'' has the Corvians, who may or may not be descendants of the Crow Demons. Most of them attack on sight, in such a way that it appears they are terrified of the player character, while the ones within the Painted World are suffering and going hollow from the rot. A handful of them are friendly and advise the player to bring fire to the Painting to solve this issue.
* The Aviants from ''VideoGame/{{Battleborn}}'' are anthropomorphic bird aliens who originally come from the Menneck B system before the Varelsi darkened their star. They come in a variety of subspecies and are generally categorized as either flyers or flightless Aviants. Among these Aviants include:
** Benedict who is a Buteonen Aviant, a [[NobleBirdOfPrey hawk]] bird man with [[WingedHumanoid wings as a third extra set of limbs]]. He battles enemies with a rocket launcher despite [[HandicappedBadass one of his wings being shattered]] and only capable of limited flight with the assistance of an Aviary Exosuit.
** Toby who is a cute little Finisci Aviant, essentially an anthropomorphic penguin that looks no different than a regular one complete with thumbless flippers and all. Although [[RidiculouslyCuteCritter ridiculously cute]] much to his chagrin, the [[BadassAdorable little fella is a force to be reckoned with]] as he rides his MiniMecha "Berg" into battle to [[KillerRabbit devastate opponents]].
** [[SnakePeople Pendles']] left handed [[SinisterScythe kama]] which is made from the [[BadWithTheBone bones of a Kormiri Aviant]] he [[ProfessionalKiller killed in the past]], in particular using his previous target's skull and beak for the scythe's head and sickle. While it's not been fully explained what exactly a Kormiri Aviant is, Pendles' lore includes Benedict referring to the Kormiri that Pendles killed as an "old Pel".
** Ernest is a short pudgy pink bird man with talon arms who serves as a DemolitionsExpert and sergeant. Although not immediately evident, he has mechanical folding wings which he carries on his back that provide him a bit of a glide. It's not a true glide in the same sense as that of Benedict's though and Ernest's still considered a flightless Aviant either way.
* The online ''VideoGame/CubeEscape'' series has Mr Crow and Mr Owl, bird-headed humanoids shrouded in mystery, SurrealHorror, and BlueAndOrangeMorality.
* ''VideoGame/DwarfFortress'':
** A wide variety of bird people exists, with quite literally every variety of bird in the game (and there are plenty) having an anthropomorphic variant in addition to a giant one, in the form of an egg-laying humanoid with the head of its bird counterpart and the ability to fly. That being said, these don't count as full intelligent races in-game, as they don't form civilizations, don't wear clothing, and are generally just bipedal animals, although they can be adopted by an established civilization and adopt the behavior and values of its members.
** There are also cave swallow men, one of the intelligent but still primitive underground races of tribal [[BeastMan animal people]], and the only one able to fly besides antman drones.
* In ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'' series backstory, there existed a race of "Bird Men" native to the islands that would become the Imperial City Isle in central Cyrodiil. It is said that they had feathers of glorious colors, talons for feet, and were capable of flight. Like the other Beast Races of Tamriel, they were apparently intelligent, as [[OurElvesAreDifferent Aldmeri]] explorers were able to teach them to speak and write. Unfortunately, they, along with whatever it is they called themselves, were lost to history when they were rendered extinct by "cat demons," believed by modern scholars to have been the ancient [[CatFolk Khajiit]].
* ''VideoGame/KrutTheMythicWings'' have the titular Kruts, eagle-headed humanoids whom are warriors and fighters defending their homes. You play as one named Veera who's seeking a set of silver armour, the titular Mythic Wings, to defeat a powerful warlord.
* The ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles1'' trilogy has the Tirkin, a race of squat birdlike humanoids living in tribal groups and native to each game's respective GreenHillZone. While in the first game they seem to be little more than bestial monsters similar to the average fantasy orc, the latter two portray them as verbal if dimwitted folk who are occasionally found allied with the good guys.
* In ''VideoGame/HyperLightDrifter'', the denizens of the Northern region are anthropomorphic crows or vultures. Some of them can fly, but the rest appear to have given up the ability in exchange for ambiguously magical powers.
* The Hissho from ''VideoGame/EndlessSpace'' were [[UpliftedAnimal uplifted]] from Velociraptor-analogues by a decadent civilization to fight as gladiators. They lived as hunter-gatherers on the plains and developed a culture centered on honourable warfare and veneration of the sun god (think {{Samurai}} meets the Aztecs). They are aggressive and competitive, and on top of being fearsome warriors on the ground, their innate instincts for flight make them excellent pilots.
* The Empire of the Birds in ''VideoGame/VGAPlanets'' were originally an open expy of [[Franchise/StarTrek The Romulans]], but with the current "Planets Nu" version, they've been shifted to be an example of this trope, one of many aestethic changes made to stave off potential lawsuits.
* The titular Venusians of ''VideoGame/MaxBlasterAndDorisDeLightningAgainstTheParrotCreaturesOfVenus''. They have a pop band called "The Dead Parrot Sketch" which tells you a lot about [[ComedyVideoGames the game]].
* ''VideoGame/EvolutionTheGameOfIntelligentLife'': "Parrot Men" are one of the possible "intelligent" species you can reach, being humanoids with feathers evolved from birds.
* ''VideoGame/InazumaEleven'': The inhabitants of the planet Gurdon from the sixth game are humanoid birds who can fly. The captain of Gurdon Eleven, Arbega, resembles an owl. He is also part of the pro-machine faction, having traded his wings for mechanical arms, so his arms function a lot more like human limbs.

* According to WordOfGod, ''Webcomic/LasLindas'' has bird people, but they haven't been seen yet in the comic. Technically, they're the same race as all the other anthropomorphic species in the comic: CatFolk, Cow People, LizardFolk, etc. They're stated to all be the same race called the "Primes", living on Neo-Earth alongside humans.

[[folder:Web Original]]
* While only the Daws are real birds, the Ocos, Vollarcs and Magaians from Dimetrodone's [[http://deinocheirus.tumblr.com Aviary]] also fit the bill, being sapient theropod species. Magaians are even sometimes called turkey people because of their similarities to those birds.
* The BigBad of ''WebAnimation/StarshipGoldfish'' is a birdlike alien called Avianaut.
* Harper the Mockingbird from ''WebAnimation/TrueTail'', though she's less Humanoid than some examples.
* Website/SCPFoundation: All members of the Wandsmen Group of Interest undergo a ritual that turns them into these. It's always a bird that the member dislikes, is afraid of, and/or finds repulsive.

* Werechickens ([[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin yes, as it sounds]]) exist in the universe of ''WesternAnimation/TheRealGhostbusters''.

** ''WesternAnimation/ThunderCats2011'' features an entire race of bird-men of various kinds.

* The Haspur in Creator/MercedesLackey's Literature/BardicVoices series are anthropomorphic eagles who excel at singing.

* In SA Swann's Literature/TerranConfederacy universe the Volerans, the second alien species humanity meets and the first with their own FTL empire, are broadly avian, resembling colorful eyeless ostriches.

* The horowitzes in Philip Jose Farmer's series of Father Carmody stories. These birdlike creatures attach their eggs to hosts (including John Carmody) who will hatch them. Father Carmody provides them with spoken language and a quasi-religious ritual of thanksgiving.

* Franchise/StarTrek:

* The PlayerCharacter in ''VisualNovel/SlayThePrincess'' appears to be an avian-human hybrid, based on what can be seen of them. In every route, you get to see your scaly arm and taloned hand as you try to attack the Princess, and your upper arm also looks like it's sprouting feathers around the shoulder area. In some routes, the Princess refers to you with avian terminology, and the Voice of the Smitten worries about having "a feather out of place" if you try to check the mirror.

** Quaquaval is a Water/Fighting type and like Blaziken, is a the final evolution of a starter Pokémon (Quaxly in this case). It resembles a humanoid duck with blue tail feathers which it elongates at will, resembling that of a carnival dancer.

* According to WordOfGod, the FurryWebcomic ''Webcomic/LasLindas'' has bird people, but they haven't been seen yet in the comic. Technically, they're the same race as all the other anthropomorphic species in the comic: CatFolk, Cow People, LizardFolk, etc. They're stated to all be the same race called the "Primes", living on Neo-Earth alongside humans.

Bird People are found in fantasy and science fiction alike. They are frequently a ProudWarriorRace and often carry a BladeOnAStick. They'll often be called "avians", some derivative of that word, or "{{tengu}}" after a similar creature in Myth/JapaneseMythology. Because of the tactical advantage conferred by avian biology (flight, enhanced reflexes) they're usually balanced by making them physically weak (often due to the hollow bones necessary for flight). In video games, they tend to be {{Glass Cannon}}s. Being able to fly also allows them to control vast territorial ranges, so they are rarely depicted forming large cities or centralized societies as other races do.

** ''VideoGame/ZeldaIITheAdventureOfLink'': In the final palace of the Thunderbird, his servants are the Fokka and Fokkeru[[note]]both from "Vogel", a German word meaning "bird"[[/note]]. The Fokka are male eagle knights with talon arms instead of wings to wield their sword, and shield. The Fokkeru are the females of the Fokka with actual wings, and NonMammalMammaries, they shoot fireballs instead of swordfighting like their male counterparts. Being placed there by [[BigGood the King]] in ancient times to ensure [[OnlyTheWorthyMayPass only the worthy]] would get the Triforce of Courage, the Fokka, and Fokkeru are not actually evil, and just await a true hero to [[BloodKnight overcome them]].

** ''VideoGame/ZeldaIITheAdventureOfLink'': In the final palace of the Thunder-Bird, his servants are the Fokka [[note]]From "Vogel", a German word meaning "bird"[[/note]], and Fokkeru. The Fokka are male eagle knights with talon arms instead of wings to wield their sword, and shield. The Fokkeru are the females of the Fokka with actual wings, and NonMammalMammaries, they shoot fireballs instead of swordfighting like their male counterparts. Being placed there by [[BigGood the King]] in ancient times to ensure [[OnlyTheWorthyMayPass only the worthy]] would get the Triforce of Courage, the Fokka, and Fokkeru are not actually evil, and just await a true hero to [[BloodKnight overcome them]].

** ''VideoGame/ZeldaIITheAdventureOfLink'': In the final palace of the Thunder-Bird, his servants are the Fokka [[note]]From a german word meaning bird[[/note]], and Fokkeru. The Fokka are male eagle knights with talon arms instead of wings to wield their sword, and shield. The Fokkeru are the females of the Fokka with actual wings, and NonMammalMammaries, they shoot fireballs instead of swordfighting like their male counterparts. Being placed there by [[BigGood the King]] in ancient times to ensure [[OnlyTheWorthyMayPass only the worthy]] would get the Triforce of Courage, the Fokka, and Fokkeru are not actually evil, and just await a true hero to [[BloodKnight overcome them]].

** Quaquaval is a Water/Fighting type and like Blaziken, is a the final evolution of a starter Pokémon (Quaxly in this case). It resembles a humanoid duck with blue tail feathers which it elongates at will, resembling tat of a carnival dancer.

* ''VideoGame/EvolutionTheGameOfIntelligentLife'': "Parrot Men" are one of the possible "intelligent" species you can reach, being humanoids with feathers evolved from birds.

* ''Anime/DoraemonNobitaAndTheWingedBraves'' have the gang entering a portal leading from Tokyo to Birdopia, a world populated by sentient bird-people with wings on their backs, with an AcrophobicBird child named Gusuke becoming the gang's new friend and most of the film revolving around the gang trying to help Gusuke fly.

* ''Manga/{{Beastars}}'': Being a setting of anthropomorphic animals there are naturally a few of these spread about. Notably Aoba, a eagle who happens to be a member of the drama club the protagonist Legosi is a member of.
* ''Anime/MashinHeroWataruSeries'': One of Wataru's companions for part of the series, Kurama is this. [[spoiler: Unlike other examples he was originally a human cursed by the main villain and spends half of the first series as a spy to regain his human form.]]

* ''ComicBook/{{Superman}}'' story arc ''ComicBook/TheLeperFromKrypton'' has the Knorrians, a race of avian, yellow-feathered humanoids with scaly legs and sharp talons.

** In ''Ultimate X-Men'' when Angel takes a power enhancing PsychoSerum he gains an eagle head and talons for hands and feet.

[[folder:Film]]

* ''Franchise/StarTrek'':
** The ''WesternAnimation/StarTrekTheAnimatedSeries'' episode "Yesteryear" features a race of bird people called the Aurelians. They've made additional appearances in the ExpandedUniverse. The episode "The Jihad" features a warlike race of bird people, the Skorr. Casual viewers may confuse the two races, since they're both feathery and yellow, but the visual designs are actually quite different.
** ''WesternAnimation/StarTrekLowerDecks'' introduces the Areore as a race of owl-like aliens who live in a primitive hunter-gathering tribal society. Aurelians also make a cameo in one episode. While the Cerrito's counselor Dr. Migleemo (who is considered the worst counselor on the fleet) comes from a parrot-like still unnamed species.
* The original 80s ''WesternAnimation/{{ThunderCats|1985}}'' features Vultureman, a mutant humanoid vulture.
** ''WesternAnimation/{{Thundercats 2011}}'' features an entire race of bird-men of various kinds.
* ''WesternAnimation/LegendsOfChima'', as to be expected from a franchise based on humanoid animals, has these. The "core" ones are eagles and ravens, with the third season adding vultures and [[spoiler:phoenixes]].

* [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Bird Person]] from ''WesternAnimation/RickAndMorty'', who is "a bird, and a person, and more". He resembles a man in a bird costume, but has the ability to fly, eats worms, and screeches when upset. One episode shows us his home planet, populated by other bird people, including a woman who feeds her baby by [[{{Squick}} regurgitating food into its mouth]] like birds do.
** A race of anthropomorphic Crows is also introduced in another episode.
* ''WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfTheGummiBears'' have the Carpies, a race of anthropomorphic vultures.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheRealGhostbusters'' werechickens ([[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin yes, as it sounds]]) exist in their universe.

* The title characters of ''WesternAnimation/TucaAndBertie'', in addition to many of the side characters, are humanoid birds.

* ''WesternAnimation/GaltarAndTheGoldenLance'' has an episode "Falca - Priestess Of Prey" with evil flying bird-winged woman Falca, kind of a ''CuteMonsterGirl'' and a young bird-winged boy who helps rescue Galtar and the family.
* ''WesternAnimation/MortalKombatDefendersOfTheRealm'': Kitana's father had an HonestAdvisor named Asgaarth who belonged to a race of eagle-like humanoids.
* ''WesternAnimation/StarVsTheForcesOfEvil'': [[BigBadWannabe Ludo]] is very bird-like in appearance, but he doesn’t have any wings. His family, on the other hand, are much larger than he is, and their arms look much more wing-like.

** Kenku, who are birds in a humanoid shape. They wield quarterstaffs or katanas, and some can cast wizard spells, and are excellent mimics of sound and voices. Their reputation is that of a race of thieves and criminals. Unusually for the trope, they ae flightless.

* In ''ComicBook/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast'', Roam can turn into a humanoid bird at will in the Dark World.

* ''Manga/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'': The Watarara are large, humanoid birds that migrate over Hyrule once a year. They're born wingless and develop their wings as they age, and youngsters ride on their parents' backs until the can fly. Their designs served as inspirations for the Rito, the birdlike race from the later games.

** Kenku, who are birds in a humanoid shape. They wield quarterstaffs or katanas, and some can cast wizard spells, and are excellent mimics of sound and voices. Their reputation is that of a race of thieves and criminals.

* ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'': Averted with the Kroot: they're descended from a birdlike species, but standard Kroot have no wings or feathers, instead having long quills on the backs of their heads and hollow bones. One of their most unique features is the ability of their Shapers to remodel their DNA based on what they eat, with Kroot eating too much of one species being locked into that state (which is what happened to the wolflike Kroothounds and apelike Krootox). Other subspecies include a feathered Kroot that can glide or the massive Knarlocs, who pretty much only exist to give players an excuse to field a ''[[KingOfTheDinosaurs Tyrannosaurus rex]]''.