It can be an aerial photograph, but also a drawing. Before the spread of manned aviation, the term "bird's eye view" was used to distinguish views derived from direct observation at elevated locations (e.g. a mountain or tower), from those created from an imagined (bird) perspective. Bird's-eye views have appeared as a literary genre since classical times. Its last major flowering was in the mid-to-late 19th century, when bird's-eye view prints were popular in the United States and Europe.

The term aerial view refers to any view from a great height, even from a wide angle, for example when looking to the side from an airplane window or from the top of a mountain. Top view is somewhat synonymous with a bird's-eye view but tends to refer to a lower vantage point than the latter term. For example, in computer and video games, the "top view" of a character or situation often places the point of advantage only a few feet (a meter or two) above human height. See Top-down perspective.

Technological advancements and modern networking have made satellite imagery more accessible. Microsoft's Bing Maps offers live satellite imagery of the entire planet but also offers a feature called a bird's eye view in some locations. Bird's-eye views are tilted at a 40-degree angle rather than straight down. Satellite imaging programs and images have been described as giving the viewer the opportunity to "fly" and observe the world from this specific angle.

In filmmaking and video production, a bird's eye shot refers to a shot that looks directly at the subject. The perspective is very short, making the subject appear short and squat. This shot can be used to give a general establishing shot of the scene, or to emphasize the smallness or insignificance of the subjects. These shots are typically used for battle scenes or to establish a character's location. They are shot by holding the camera up by hand or hanging it on something sturdy enough to support it. When a scene needs a large area shot, it is a crane shot.

Bird's eye views are common in sports broadcasting, especially in the 21st century, with ALBAKRI DRONE you are guaranteed to get exciting shots with a bird's eye view