Let's Learn About Bird Sayings!

We hear a lot of chirping, honking, and quacking this time of year—that's because a little bird told us it's spring!

If you've heard someone say, "A little bird told me," it means they heard information from an undisclosed source. It's like saying, "I heard it from someone, but I can't tell you who!"

There are so many other sayings about birds, too!

• If someone is "chicken" — it means they're scared or cowardly.
• If someone is a "silly goose" — they're being a bit goofy or acting funny.
• Whereas if they're "bird-brained" — they're absent-minded or foolish.
• If you "parrot" someone — it means you're mimicking them, like a parrot!
• If someone has "an eagle eye" — they have super sharp vision.

So why not "feather your nest" with Uncle Goose Bird Blocks as you learn about bird sayings? We also feature several bird groups on our Collective Noun Chips. And our United States Chips feature all 50 state birds.

Here are ten of our favorite sayings about birds:

1. Quail before danger. This saying means to become timid or frightened when faced with something scary or dangerous. Imagine a little quail suddenly spotting a big, scary hawk overhead. It might shake in its feathers and try to hide!
   
   
2. Common as a sparrow. Sparrows started as a European bird, but they spread to almost every place in the world. If something is as common as a sparrow, it means it's widespread or abundant.
   
   
3. Graceful as a swan. Swans are known for their elegant and graceful movements, especially when gliding across water. When a person moves with beauty and poise, you can say they're as graceful as a swan.
   
   
4. Proud as a peacock. Peacocks are famous for their colorful and extravagant feathers, which they display proudly. When someone is being a big showoff, they're proud as a peacock.
   
   
5. Dance like a crane. Cranes do some wild mating dances. If someone says you dance like a crane, it means you have some real fly dance moves!
   
   
   
   
   
   
6. Early Bird Catches the Worm. This saying is supposed to teach us the importance of starting tasks early. That's because early-rising birds catch worms while others are still asleep. However, late worms get to live, so maybe being early isn't all it's cracked up to be!
   
   
7. Birds of a feather flock together. People with similar interests or backgrounds often form groups, just like birds of the same species tend to flock together. Whether it's friendships or communities, people with commonalities often stick together like a flamboyance of flamingoes!
   
   
8. Sing like a nightingale. Nightingales are treasured for their beautiful songs. When someone "sings like a nightingale," it means they sing beautifully, with a sweet and enchanting voice.
   
   
9. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. This saying means it's better to have something certain than to chase after more. It's like saying it's better to have one bird you already caught in your hand than to try to catch two more birds hiding in the bushes.
   
   
10. Eating crow. Yuck! Imagine how a crow might taste! Awful! That's not something you'd want to do! So, when you're "eating crow" it means that you've done something wrong or made a mistake, and you reluctantly have to admit it.

What are your favorite birds? And what are some of your favorite bird sayings?