Idiom
Birds of a feather flock together
Birds of a feather flock together means people who are alike, with similar interests or habits, tend to spend time together.
How people use it
People often use the short form, "birds of a feather," for a pair or group who share a trait: "Those two love spreadsheets; they're birds of a feather." The saying can be neutral or friendly, but it often carries a hint of criticism, suggesting that people with bad habits gather with others like them. It also works as an explanation: "Of course they became friends. Birds of a feather flock together." The tone is neutral, and it suits both speech and writing.
Also said: birds of a feather.
Examples
- The new interns all love rock climbing; birds of a feather flock together.
- Grace and her roommate are birds of a feather, both up at dawn to run.
- My grandmother always warned that birds of a feather flock together, so I should choose friends carefully.
Where it comes from
The idea that similar creatures stay together is very old, and English has had a version of this proverb since at least the 1500s. A text from 1545 says that birds of one kind and color flock and fly together. The modern wording, with "of a feather" meaning of the same kind, became the standard form soon after.
Check yourself
1. What does the saying birds of a feather flock together mean?
Answer: Similar people tend to stick together. The proverb says people with shared traits or interests usually end up together.
2. Which sentence uses the short form correctly?
Answer: Sam and Leo both collect old maps; they're birds of a feather.. Birds of a feather describes people who are alike, not people who disagree or real birds.
Similar idioms
Word game fan? See every word hiding in FEATHER.