Birds of a Feather Lyrics
An old saying turned into a rhyme: birds that look alike stay together, and so do pigs, rats and mice. And the speaker will choose friends the same way.
Birds of a Feather
Birds of a feather flock together,
And so will pigs and swine;
Rats and mice will have their choice,
And so will I have mine.
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/birds-of-a-feather/
- Type
- Animal Rhymes
- Tune
- Spoken rhyme
- Best for ages
- 4 to 9 years
What Does Birds of a Feather Mean?
"Birds of a feather flock together" means that people who are alike tend to spend time together. The rhyme stretches the idea to pigs, swine, rats and mice, then ends with the speaker: "and so will I have mine", meaning I will pick my own friends too. Swine is simply another word for pigs.
History and Origin
The proverb is much older than the rhyme. It was already in use in England in the 1500s, and writers have quoted it ever since. This rhyming version is printed in The Real Mother Goose (1916).
Learning Activities
- Friends talk: ask what your child has in common with their friends, and what is different.
- Sorting game: sort toy animals into groups that "flock together".
- Other sayings: find more animal proverbs, like "the early bird catches the worm".