The term Bird goddess was coined by Marija Gimbutas with relation to Neolithic Europe. The Vinca culture, in particular, had a bird goddess. Griffen (2005) even claims to have discovered a sign for the bird goddess in the VinĨa signs.
Later goddesses with associations with birds include Nut and Athena and perhaps Circe.
Gimbutas also identified a "Lady of the Beasts" (the female analogon of Pashupati), a bear goddess and a snake goddess.
Famous quotes containing the words bird and/or goddess:
“the bird in the poplar tree
dreaming, his head
tucked into
far-and-near exile under his wing ...”
—Denise Levertov (b. 1923)
“Tell me who is able to keep his bed chaste, or which goddess is able to live with one god alone?”
—Propertius Sextus (c. 5016 B.C.)