Due to recent posts, I feel compelled to share some ways I know avian nonhumans around me (and me, obviously) have customized their way of living (whether it is body modification, clothing styles, wording, social changes, etc) to feel more appropriately avian. I personally have complicated feelings on calling myself specifically transpecies due to my disatisfaction with current ways of appearing nonhuman societally, but these are, for all intents and purpose, currently available things to transition to Bird, i suppose.
Physical (as in, non-clothing related, direct body modification or training)
Tattoos. This is even more common with my reptilian peers, but i've seen a few birds use tattoos to feel like themselves. I've seen one particular individual with beautifully tattooed talon-scales, but wing tattoos or feathered patterns are also common.
Shaving. I've done that for a time, but stopped since my own body hair is not the most visible. I've met a few birds who'd rather have a nude body than hair, due to the mammalian connotations.
Bird call training / voice training. Met a decent amount of birds who trained themselves to be able to do calls. A syrinx gives a tone that's alas hard to copy with a larynx, but being able to reproduce bird calls through wistling or other methods is common! Still personally perfecting my ability to beak-clack ahah, that one has been tricky.
Nails. This one could go here or in the clothing related section, depending on if you file your natural nails into talons, or simply apply fake talons on your natural nails, but it's also something i'm considering. I prefer filed nails for work, but I'd enjoy having one hand with full talons. Might be a goal to find a way to do it this summer actually for me.
Dyed hair and body hair. More common w/ just the hair, but particularly amongst bright colored bird and dymorphic birds i've found a real liking for hair dye. I'm a more dull species, but I enjoy dyeing my hair bright pink during nesting season, it makes me feel more bright-esque and "adult", as the dull nakedness of human skin feels very hatchling-like for me. But i've also seen people reproduce their plumage through hair dye!
Physical exercise and muscle training. I've seen a lot of variants! One i've seen is the training of pectoral muscles as an analog to wing muscles / the feeling them on a keel. Generally met birds who enjoyed staying in good physical shape and who considered that bird-like.
SRS / Top-surgery. This one REALLY varies with gender identity, but i've met a decent amount of birds who prefer a flat chest without breasts (mammalian trait) and who prefer no external genitalia (cloaca-analogue). It's my case, and I would in fact consider top surgery if it becomes available to me. Currently, it's difficult. I would tentatively put hormone therapy here potentially, but I've actually seen less birds talk about hrt compared to mammals, as it tends to intensify mammalian traits. But it's very possible some birds are on hrt due to species euphoria.
Cloaks and other wing-like items. Self explanatory ! Lots of birds enjoy the weight-feel of something that feels like wings. I personally own a wing shawl by shovava, but i've seen hoodies, i've seen feathered shawls, etc. I find this item a bit hard to wear in my everyday life personally, and it doesn't fall quite right for me to feel it as wings, but perhaps some day i'll find something that feels more right for me in this category.
Color-coded outfits. Whether it is purely to match plumage, or a gender-marker, it's very common for birds in my experience to use clothing as a replacement for feathers. It is my case. I feel plucked without clothing, and tend to prefer to be clothed. it feels natural, and I use strong contrasts, bright accents, and a general black color scheme as a Bright gender marker. I deviate from a roadrunner's natural plumage, but it feels more affirming for me. One fun thing i'd like to acquire is scale pattern leggings and gloves, so i can have proper scaled talons under my shirt / pants.
Accessories. This varies greatly depending on species. I've met birds of prey who wear falconry items, i've met birds who wear bird tags bracelets, a lot of birds wear feather pattern accessories or generally bird themed stuff to reinforce their association with birds overall... Kind of a really wide category that will wildly depend on what you are and what you like to wear, but very versatile. I'd like a bird tag, maybe! It'd be fun. but i feel like i need it to mean something, so it'd probably be an item i'd wear only if i have something to tie it to. for now, i'm an untagged bird, ahah.
Contacts. This one is twofold. Birds often rely on eyesight a lot. I'm very nearsighted. Wearing contacts, and getting back to a normal human vision feels,,, a bit less ironic than a bird wearing glasses, so i tend to prefer it. It doesn't point out my nearsighted-ness as much. However, there's also a lot of nonhuman looking colored contacts out there! They are GREAT for actually getting an external "that person is nonhuman" response from people, as it is a very recognizeable marker of Something not being quite right. I don't have access to custom contacts, so i simply use white iris contacts for that nonhuman look, but they've been very affirming for me.
Fursuits, masks and gear. This one has a tendency to get in the way, but very obviously, realistic masks, talon gloves, feathered tails, and all that is a great way to look nonhuman. I currently have two masks in my collection, one by ligris cybernetic, and one by dragonartist15, both 3D printed. I recommend the second for any bird mask needs. They're hard to wear very often, as they are often a bit bulky, and I personally find it kinda feels uncanny to not actually "feel" the limbs through the prosthetic, but it's still a very good option, if a bit pricy.
Sensory deprivation gear. This one is more about the mental than the external appearance, but I know a few falconry oriented birds who enjoy having sensory deprivation items on their person while traveling or simply resting, as it mimics for them the hoods or cages of a bird who's not working. Noise cancelling headphone is one i've seen a lot.
Jewelry. Mostly either corvid related or bright related ahah! I've seen a few birds who really relate to the thieving magpie archetype and like wearing a lot of shiny things as a corvid-thing. I've probably seen other birds do it, but i associate it the most w/ them.
Bird Jobs. Birds do not escape the rule of a lot of therianthropes and other nonhumans feeling somewhat "domesticated" due to their condition as bird in human society. A few birds I know actively pursue jobs that feel bird-like. After all, theriform birds can very much have jobs, be it falconry birds, messenger pigeons, guard geese, or cormorant fishing. I've met at least one bird of prey pursuing aviation to fly a jet, a lot birds who decided to work with birds in their jobs as a sort of "ambassador animal" (whether it was research, veterinary sciences, etc), corvids who embraced the spiritual connotation of their kind in popular culture, I personally pursue entomology partially because, well, i've got a predatory instinct toward insects and just enjoy catching and id-ing them due to this. In general, a lot of animal people take jobs that connect them with nature, as a way to escape more human-heavy tasks.
Hunting and foraging. I know a lot of therianthropes who feel more like themselves if they have the ability to get their food directly from the source. Herons learning to fish, passerines learning which fruits they can still eat in this body and which they now can't, birds of prey learning how to prepare a rabbit... Knowing some survival skills can be something that feels very personally rewarding.
Flight. Not accessible to everybody, but a lot of flying birds deeply want to fly again, and learning to fly with a body without wings can be a way to really... gain back power in it. Hang gliding, parachuting, etc.
Courting related skills. A lot of birds do have that as a pretty important part of their bird identity ! Whether it's knowing how to bring back food, how to protect a nest or build one, how to sing, how to dance, how to look good, or any other of the myriad of ways birds have to court, getting better at it Feels Right. I personally learn how to cook as one of the main part of this, as an analogue to bringing back prey items, alongside with gift giving. It makes me feel like a more proper roadrunner to be able to compete on that skill.
Having people you trust acknowledge you as a bird. It's very unlikely at this point in time to be able to just... pass as a bird. But having close friends who acknowledge your species is a world of difference.
Word-change. Calling hands talons, teeth/mouth a beak, hair feathers, etc, can feel a bit ridiculous, but with enough confidence it just kinda... works after a while? I call my hair my plumage. I call my dyed hair my summer plumage, and my short, brown hair my winter plumage, even with people who do not know me as a bird. No one really calls me out on it. People tend to build on the joke and actually start calling me with more bird related words. it's quite fun.
"Being the bird person". Although being seen as a bird is a bit hard, it's actually pretty easy to become "bird-coded" in the eyes of people. It's a good first step. I personally did it just by being very out about my roadrunner obsession and my bird-words and all that, and playing with outfits and Looking the parts tends to feed it.
Gender. This one is kinda external and internal. I don't tend to really... tell people i'm a bright. But i act like a bright. Bright is the gender of birds who court in a pair, such as roosters, peacocks, male blackbirds, female jacanas, etc. It's often associated with bright colors, loudness and competitiveness. Dun or hen is the gender of the bird who is courted in a pair, such as peahen, female bowerbirds, or male phalaropes. It's often associated with nest building, cryptic coloration, being the one who chooses, protectiveness, etc. It varies from species to species, bird to bird, and some species have no bright or dun at all. It's a xenogender borrowed from a fictional alien species from runaway to the stars by jay eaton. Xenogenders can go hand in hand with species markers. Playing with them, playing with pronouns, and with gender presentation, can be a very species euphoric thing.
"Owners". This one kind of a complex topic. Some nonhumans in relationships with humans, whether romantic, queerplatonic, or else, like acknowledging their human as a sort of pet owner, zookeeper, falconer, or other term. Whether this stop at word play, or is an actual dynamic similar to nonsexual (or not) petplay varies. I do not recommend entering a kink dynamic, even nonsexual, before 18 yo due to the power dynamic that usually come w/ deferring to another person as a keeper, even if it is species euphoric for you, however, once you're good to go, why not. Being a falcon, with a falconkeeper, who treats you as a falcon is probably one of the Most Direct way you can socially be a bird. Having a nonhuman partner has a similar effect, but uh, can be hard to come across. I've however heard of at least one bird4bird couple who seem to be doing absolutely great. In general, having a partner that lets you unmask entirely can be an extremely soothing experience.
Building a life around instincts, instead of restricting instincts for human life. This is also complex. By default, human society is not accomodating to nonhuman instincts. Making nonhuman instincts a priority over deffering to human rules is hard. However, it is possible. I know at least one migratory bird who actively migrates, changing continents from summer to winter, and who is building a life around this cycle. My own seasonal cycle impacts my romantic identity : instead of having a consistant need for a partner, I wish for a romantic-sexual partner in summer, and a queerplatonic-friend like relationship in winter. This is non-amanormative, and is something i can't quite change, and I will not settle for a partner who wants me to pick a side. Wanting a territory as a life goal is not worth less than wanting a house. Wanting to be a good bird of prey for your falconer is not less rewarding than wanting to be a doctor. You can have a flock. You can learn to dive to fish for your own food. You can change the rules.
There's probably much, much more to be said on this topic. There's a million of ways people take active steps to live their life truthfully, as many as there is birds out there. I'd love to hear what you guys do.
theartofmadeline
stormborns
jimmyeatworldofficial
