Also known as 'red birds', the famous and gorgeous crimson red plumage of the northern cardinal is sported only by the males. The females, in fact, have tan, brown, or gray feathers. And due to this fact, many men and women are inclined to getting the red cardinal bird tattoos instead. Whether you want to get the tattoo for its mesmerizing feathers, or for its symbolic values, the first few things you need to work out is the design. And to help you jumpstart the process, we have compiled these 8 designs for you to choose from. The first rule of getting a tattoo is that if you're not absolutely sure about it, don't rush into it. This is how majority of people make mistakes because it's not the actual tattoo or design they desire, but the idea of getting one. Keeping this key information in mind, let's go over some designs for that much-needed inspiration. Apart from getting the bird tattooed by itself, you can also include other elements in your design like flowers, clouds, stars, someone's name, a phrase or quote, etc. With endless ideas to work with, the best thing would be to consult an experienced tattoo artist and get a unique design created by him/her. As we stated earlier that cardinals aren't always the first tattoo choices for many, this kind of tattoo gives you an edge over them. You are more likely to come up with a rare design that can be manipulated to represent any meaning of your choice. But for now, we will divert your attention towards the meanings associated with this beautiful bird. When it comes to their territory, the cardinals are quite aggressive and will do anything and everything to defend what is rightfully theirs. Perhaps more than anything else, this is a characteristic we all hope to adopt, not only for ourselves, but for our loved ones as well.