In heraldry, the martlet is a small stylized bird, usually shown without visible feet, and it is one of the most distinctive cadency marks in English armory. Its traditional meaning is restlessness, enterprise, travel, and constant striving, since a footless bird was imagined as always in flight and never at rest. In the system of cadency, a martlet commonly marks the fourth son, making it a sign of family position and inheritance. More broadly, it can symbolize a person who must make their own way in the world, relying on effort, learning, and service rather than landed security.

The martlet is especially associated with education and younger sons because it suggests movement beyond the family estate into church, law, scholarship, trade, or military service. It appears in many English family arms and institutional designs. A famous example is the arms of McGill University, which include three red martlets derived from the arms of founder James McGill. The bird also appears in the arms of University College, Oxford, where martlets are part of a long academic heraldic tradition. In such settings, the charge suggests learning, aspiration, and enduring institutional identity.

As a charge, the martlet is usually shown close, with wings folded, though it may also appear displayed or volant in some designs. Its lack of feet is not a mistake but the feature that gives the symbol much of its meaning. Useful references include Parker’s A Glossary of Terms Used in Heraldry, examples at Heraldry of the World, and guidance from The Heraldry Society. In coats of arms, the martlet remains a memorable emblem of perseverance, education, mobility, and self-made distinction.