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 Vinča 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)
“Mother,
strange goddess face
above my milk home,
that delicate asylum,
I ate you up.”
—Anne Sexton (1928–1974)