William Shakespeare on Birds
← Back to William Shakespeare Profile"A little bird told me," popularized by Shakespeare, has roots stretching back to ancient Greek fables and the Bible, representing information gleaned from a secret source.
“A little bird told me.”
- William Shakespeare, Birds, generally, S)
“An honest fellow enough, and one that loves quails.”
- William Shakespeare, Specific types, Quail)
“The hedge-sparrow fed the cuckoo so long, That it had it head bit off by it young.”
- William Shakespeare, Specific types, Sparrow)
“What, is the jay more precious than the lark, Because his feathers are more beautiful?”
- William Shakespeare, Specific types, Jay)
“For look where Beatrice, like a lapwing, runs Close by the ground, to near our conference.”
- William Shakespeare, Specific types, Lapwing)
“For the poor wren. The most diminutive of birds, will fight, Her young ones in her nest, against the owl.”
- William Shakespeare, Specific types, Wren)
“Who finds the partridge in the puttock's nest, But may imagine how the bird was dead, Although the kite soar with unbloodied beak?”
- William Shakespeare, Specific types, Partridge)