From Superman to Captain Marvel, many superheroes are capable of flight or some level of levitation. Some use mechanical support to lift themselves off the ground, while others use an innate power inside them to fuel their flying capabilities. But, even though they roam the skies with birds of all kinds, they don't always choose an alias to reflect this connection.
On another front, not all those who bear an avian pseudonym can jump off a building and take flight like a bird, but they are named after birds, nevertheless. Some of them are sidekicks, some are full-blown superheroes, and others are the kind who started out as villains but changed sides in the end.
10 Red Raven
Much like how Superman fell into the ordinary lives of human beings, Red Raven (a Marvel character) appeared out of nowhere (in a plane) and crash-landed himself in the world of the Bird-People, on their Sky-Island. Unlike superman, though, this little boy didn’t have any special powers. His rescuers, on the other hand, did have exceptional abilities—wings to help them fly.
Despite the absence of natural wings on the boy, they cared for him and, in time, built him a gravity-defying outfit that came with faux wings attached, and set him free into the human world to work as a superhero.
9 Birdman
Harvey Birdman is a lawyer first, working with a pet falcon called Avenger, and two sidekicks—Birdboy and Birdgirl. But he’s also a superhero, a role he takes on with increasing responsibilities when he gets recruited by Inter-Nation Security, a government agency. He is blessed by Ra (the sun God); he can fly in the sky and emit solar rays and fields to attack adversaries. And he uses these abilities to fight crime in his city.
He appeared first in the animated TV show Birdman and the Galaxy Trio and later had a few print appearances as well—one of them being DC Comics' Cartoon Network Presents: Toonami issue #5.
8 Hawkman
There are several avatars of DC’s Hawkman, but the most popular ones are of him being an archaeologist called Carter Hall (a human) or a police officer called Katar Hol (who is from another planet). But all of them use something called the ninth metal that gives them the ability to fly.
The element is everywhere from his clothes to his wings and footwear, to help him stay in the sky. He also has a bit of brute strength to him, although it’s nowhere near as incredible as the capabilities of someone like Superman or Thor.
7 Nighthawk
Marvel’s Nighthawk, starts off as a villain, in The Avengers #69. He is an evil version of Batman and even fulfills that role in Squadron Sinister which itself is a villainous take on DC’s Justice League. But soon, the good in him comes out and he progresses into the role of a superhero, eventually joining The Defenders.
His powers are awarded to him by way of a potion that makes him extremely strong and agile from sundown to daybreak. Helping him further are a set of gadgets and attachments like lasers and artificial wings, powered by jets.
6 Raven
Being the child of a demon and a human, Raven has incredible powers at her beck and call. She can easily sense and manipulate emotions and energies, perform dangerous magic, and control darkness and its shadows—all of which make her an important part of the superhero team the Teen Titans.
Her affinity for ravens is translated well and beyond her pseudonym. As shown in Teen Titans Comics, Volume 3: book 13, she actually has a tattoo of the bird, with its wings spread wide, on her back.
5 Robin
Introduced as "Robin the Boy Wonder" in 1940, Batman’s trusted sidekick evolved into a much bigger role as the years went on. In the 80s, in fact, Robin even carved out a separate identity and became a superhero called Nightwing.
There are two influences for his name and costume: the first is Robin Hood, who Robin creator Jerry Robinson said was named so because “the adventures of Robin Hood were boyhood favorites” of his. But there is another strand that considers the bird American robin to be the key influence.
4 Hawkeye
An important part of the Avengers, Clint Barton a.k.a. Hawkeye is an incredible archer, who can shoot arrows even while running from one place to another. His efficiency with hitting the right target is what gives him the pseudonym “Hawkeye”—referencing the sharp eyesight of hawks.
He doesn’t have any superpowers per se, but he is still part of one of the most famous superhero team—the Avengers—and is quite integral to its success. For, apart from his skills with the bow and arrow, he is also a trained combatant and an agile acrobat.
3 Nite Owl
There have been two Nite Owls in the history of Watchmen—the more famous of them being Daniel Dreiberg. He is a skilled engineer and inventor who creates his own gadgets, all set around the single thematic umbrella of owls. He even has an aircraft that he calls the Owlship.
Apart from the weapons he carries himself, the ones in and on the Owlship range from flamethrowers and machine guns to water cannons and screechers, which can emit extremely high-intensity sounds. He is much like Batman when it comes to his powers in hand-to-hand combat and the use of gadgets.
2 Falcon
Marvel’s Sam Wilson feels connected to birds from an early age. According to Professor X, in Captain America #174, he even forges a telepathic bond with his pet falcon. Later, as he transitions into a superhero at the behest of Captain America, he takes his affinity for birds to the next level by basing his entire persona on falcons.
Since Falcon doesn’t have wings of his own, he initially attaches mechanical ones—with jets—to his back and flies through the air. In time, he acquires the EXO-7 suit, which is fitted with guns and rocket launchers of all kinds, making him a force to reckon with.
1 Phoenix
In mythological terms, a phoenix is a fiery bird that regenerates itself in times of need. It burns itself up for its “death” before arising out of the very ashes of its remains, much in the same way as X-Men’s Jean Grey was reborn in a new body with the help of the cosmic force called Phoenix, which saved the mutant from a painful solar radiation death out in space.
From thereon, whenever the Phoenix takes over Jean it does so by spreading its wings of fire around her body, enabling Jean to have control over molecules and atoms, absorb and generate vast amounts of energy, and travel anywhere in the universe without injuring herself. For all purposes, in her Phoenix state, Jean Grey is essentially invincible.