A Bird in the Hand is Worth Two in the Bush

 

This idiom has its roots in the sport of falconry where falcons are used to hunt birds and other animals. It was a sort of ancient advice to not send out your falcon in conditions where the falcon may be lost, such as attempting to target multiple birds at once in the sky. Over time the phrase evolved and was used as a generality applied to other potentially risky situations.

The premise is that you shouldn't take the risk of giving up something that you have in favor of the low chance of getting something that appears to be better. You already have a bird in hand, so don't let go of the bird you have to chase the two you see in the bush. The two birds could fly away and you will be left with no birds at all. This sort of occurrence, and the usefulness of the idiom, can be seen in many aspects of life.

How many times have you heard the story, or perhaps even done it yourself, where someone gets a win at a casino then can't help but be enticed by the thought of winning even more. In spite of knowing that the chance of winning again is extremely low, they bet all of their winnings and, as should be expected, lose it all. Or, how about when someone in a committed relationship that is going well becomes attracted to another person. They start to think that they could have an even better life with this new person then they end their already positive relationship. After some time with the new person they realize that they made a mistake because the new person wasn't in it for the long-term or was hiding dark secrets. Now the person who left their relationship is completely alone.

However, sometimes what may be a risk for some may not be as much of a risk for others. If someone is skilled at hunting birds, then they can probably be safe in their confidence that they could catch the two in the bush. So in this case you could borrow another idiom, creating the meaning behind the Idiom Proof logo, to say:

"A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, unless you can kill two birds with one stone."

How and when do you follow the idiom's advice? When should you be content with the bird already in hand and when is it a low risk to go for the two birds? It's important to understand the value of what you have right now. If you gave up something, say a current relationship, would you regret it? Think about whether current feelings about potential prospects are clouding your judgement. It's easy to get caught up in something you want and forget how much you value the things you already have. If what you have is truly of no value and isn't bringing you happiness, then a change is necessary. But if the loss of something owned would be devastating and the idiom's advice isn't followed, then that will lead you to the next phrase that says "You never know what you've got until it's gone."