roostersheaded

Roostersheaded is a term used in heraldry and folklore to describe figures, charges, or beings that display the head of a rooster. The term is typically used as an adjective, as in "a roostersheaded shield," though some texts hyphenate or spell it as "rooster-headed" or "roosters-headed." Its etymology derives from the common English noun rooster and the past-participle headed; the usage is specialized and appears mainly in heraldic glossaries and fantasy literature.

In heraldry, a roostersheaded charge is a stylized rooster's head rendered in profile or full view, with distinctive features such as a comb, wattles, and a hooked beak. The depiction may be shown in any tincture and can be blazoned with standard heraldic language, for example "roostersheaded sable" or “a roostershead” in some blazons. The term helps describe a simple yet recognizable emblem and is sometimes used alongside other animal heads like "lion's head" or "eagle's head."

In folklore and modern fantasy, roostersheaded figures appear as symbolic guardians of dawn or as tricksters, depending on regional tradition. They may be used in stories to symbolize vigilance, as roosters announce the morning. Modern usage remains niche, mainly among heraldry practitioners, art historians, and writers of fantasy, rather than in mainstream biology.

See also: rooster, cock, cockade, heraldry, cockatrice.