The flightless kiwi bird, native to New Zealand, is a national symbol and appears on the country’s dollar coin and even the logo of the Royal New Zealand Air Force. Kiwis have a strong sense of smell and lay the largest eggs of any bird species, but their population is declining due to predators and […]
Birds evolved from small dinosaurs about 155 million years ago, with feathers and the ability to glide and eventually fly. The most famous fossil indicating an evolutionary link between dinosaurs and birds is Archaeopteryx. The extinction of dinosaurs and pterosaurs left the skies open, allowing birds to become a major source of food for carnivorous […]
The Stymphalian birds were fierce creatures belonging to Ares, the Greek god of war. They had metal quills, brass claws, poisonous poop, and a taste for human flesh. Hercules defeated them as part of his 12 labors, using cymbals from Athena to scare them away. The birds migrated after the battle and did not return. […]
The idiom “bird’s eye view” refers to a complete understanding of something, originating from the aerial view seen by birds. It has become popular in business to understand complex designs and scenarios. Modern technology allows for literal bird’s eye views, useful in cartography and planning. The English idiom “top view” is used to refer to […]
Birds in mythology have diverse roles and attributes, varying by culture. They can be associated with deities, symbolize concepts, and serve as messengers. Some birds are seen as sacred or divine, while others are fictional creatures such as the phoenix and roc. The roles of birds in mythology are almost as diverse as the various […]
The phrase “birds of a feather flock together” refers to how people with similar interests or characteristics naturally group together. It is a personification metaphor that originated in the 16th century and has become popular in computer programming circles as BoF. It is a popular metaphor and a restatement of something self-evident. The phrase “birds […]
The “for the birds” idiom is a condensed story that conveys an idea or object is useless. The image conjured is of something thrown out like rubbish, only interesting to birds. Historically, it was military slang for anything worthless. It is popular among American seniors and young people. Most idioms contain at least elements of […]
