2D diagram

How to make an origami flapping bird

Origami Flapping Bird: try all 25 steps in the 3D player. Turn and replay every move. Print the complete diagram sheet or save it as PDF.

Intermediate25 steps6 × 6 in · One square

The traditional action bird: broad wings, a downturned beak and a pointed tail that makes the wings flap.

You need: One square of thin origami paper. No glue or scissors.
Make a square from printer paper ↗
Start: The paper has a white side and a colored reverse. Start colored side up, with one corner pointing up, so the finished bird shows the color.
Tips: Keep the lower points broad: this bird does not need the crane's narrowing folds.
Press the reverse folds flat before folding the wings.
Pull the tail gently. If the wings stick, loosen them a little.

Symbols, bases & terms ↗

Finish

Your model is ready

Open the wings a little. Hold the base of the neck and gently pull the tail to make the wings flap. Turn it round to see it from every side.

3D paper

Whole sequence Finish

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25 steps · press any step to watch it in 3D

Step-by-step diagrams

Valley fold Mountain fold Color side White side

Steps 1–7

1
Crease a diagonal
Bring the top corner down to the bottom corner, press, and open.
2
Crease the other diagonal
Bring the left corner to the right corner, press, and open.
3
Turn over
Turn the paper over, keeping a corner pointing up.
4
Crease edge to edge
Fold the bottom-left edge up to the top-right edge, press, and open.
5
Crease the other way
Fold the bottom-right edge up to the top-left edge, press, and open.
6
Turn back
Turn the paper back over, keeping a corner pointing up.
7
Collapse into a square
Hold the bottom corner. Push the left and right corners in and down so the paper collapses along the creases into a small square, open end at the bottom.

Steps 8–14

8
Crease the left kite
Fold the lower left edge of the top flap to the center line, press, and open.
9
Crease the right kite
Fold the lower right edge of the top flap to the center line, press, and open.
10
Crease across the top
Fold the top down along the line joining the tops of the two kite creases, press, and open.
11
Petal fold
Lift the bottom corner of the top layer up along the crease across the top. The sides fold in along the kite creases and meet in the middle. Press flat.
12
Turn over
Turn the model over, keeping the open end at the bottom.
13
Crease the left kite
Fold the lower left edge of the top flap to the center line, press, and open.
14
Crease the right kite
Fold the lower right edge of the top flap to the center line, press, and open.

Steps 15–21

15
Crease across the top
Fold the top down along the line joining the tops of the two kite creases, press, and open.
16
Petal fold
Lift the bottom corner of the top layer up along the crease across the top. The sides fold in along the kite creases and meet in the middle. Press flat.
17
Crease the left point
Fold the left lower point up along the line across its root, press, and open. Leave the broad wings alone.
18
Crease the right point
Fold the right lower point up along the same line, press, and open.
19
Raise the neck
Open the left point's layers. Push the point up and left between them along the slanted line, then press flat.
20
Raise the tail
Open the right point's layers. Push the point out to the right between them along the line, then press flat.
21
Make the head
Open the tip of the neck. Push it down and left between the layers along the line to make a short beak, then press flat.

Steps 22–25

22
Fold the front wing down
Fold the broad front wing down along the line above the body's joint. Leave the neck and tail in place.
23
Turn over
Turn the bird over to reach the back wing.
24
Fold the back wing down
Fold the other broad wing down along the matching line. Leave the neck and tail in place.
25
Turn back
Turn the bird back so the head faces left.
✓
Finish
Open the wings a little. Hold the base of the neck and gently pull the tail to make the wings flap. Turn it round to see it from every side.

Keep folding

Fold next

Spring crafts ↗All origami ↗

Animals

Crane ↗

Intermediate · 28 steps · One square

The crane begins with a square base. Two petal folds turn it into a bird base with separate points for the neck and tail; the broad flaps become the wings. Work through one side of the body before repeating the narrowing folds on the back.