A Little Bird Told Me – Idiom of the Day
(Also A Little Birdie Told Me)
Meaning:
This idiom is used to convey that the speaker knows something but chooses to(or has to) keep the identity of their informant secret.
Origin:
There are multiple possible origin stories for this expression.
Some attribute it to Ecclesiastes 10:20 “Do not revile the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich in your bedroom, because a bird in the sky may carry your words, and a bird on the wing may report what you say.” Another explanation is a simple allusion to carrier pigeons or other such messenger birds.
John Heywood’s Proverbs (1562) gives an earlier expression: “I hear by one bird that in mine ear was late chanting”, and characterizes “a little bird told me” as the ‘modern’ version.”
Another origin story comes from a Norse legend, wherein Sigurd could hear and understand the birds after he slayed the dragon Fafnir. The birds warned him that Regin would kill him.
Usage:
- A little birdie told me it was your birthday today.
- Hey Boyd, a little bird told me you haven’t been nice to your friends lately.
- A little birdie told me you got caught for speeding yesterday.
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