Origami Pajarita
Origami is not just in Japan. This origami pajarita probably originated in Europe. It means “small bird” in Spanish. Pajarita is equal to the the paper crane in popularity: many people recognize this little bird as a symbol of paper folding. In fact, the Spanish Paperfolding Association (AEP) uses the origami pajarita as their logo.
Instructions for Origami Pajarita
![]() Step 1:
Start with a square sheet of paper with the white-side facing up. |
Step 2:
Fold and unfold the paper in half (horizontally and vertically) to get a + crease. |
Step 3:
Fold the corner of the paper to the middle of the paper (red dot to red dot). Do this for all 4 corners. ![]() |
Step 4:
Turn the model over so the bottom is facing up. |
Step 5:
Repeat the blintz fold: fold the corner of the model to the center of the paper (red dot to red dot). ![]() |
Step 6:
Unfold the model completely so you are back to a square with white-side facing up. |
Step 7:
Notice the crease pattern (the pattern of the lines where a fold was made). These creases will allow you to “collapse” the model into pajarita. |
Step 8:
Hold down the middle section of the paper (shown with yellow line) while you fold up the bottom section of the paper. |
Flip up the bottom right corner. It will “pop” a bit as you reverse the fold. |
Fold the bottom layer up and behind the model. |
Step 9:
Fold the left section of the model towards the right. |
Pull down the bottom-left corner as you keep folding the left flap towards the right. |
Fold the bottom layer of paper back and behind the model. The top-left corner of the paper will automatically fold down to form the bird’s head. |
|
Done! |
Origami pajarita has been around for over 200 years. You can see her in paintings from the 1800’s.
![]() |
![]() |
“The Merrymakers” by French painter, Carolus-Duran. Painting is dated to about 1870. |
![]() |
![]() “Marie-Laetitia Murat portant le buste de Napolean” by CHAUDET-HUSSON Jeanne Elisabeth. Painting is dated to about 1806. |
Another sighting is “The Boy with the Book” by P Petrov. Painting is dated to about 1855 and is located in the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow. You can see the painting in Didactics & Research of Folding.
Watch video: