You cannot prevent the birds of sorrow…

You cannot prevent the birds of sorrow from flying over your head, but you can prevent them from building nests in your hair

A Chinese proverb

Identify this bird

The bird is found North and also South America.

Unlike most of our migrant birds, this bird arrives in New England quite unobtrusively. It’s usually about May 10th in the latitude of Boston. For a few days it remains quiet, both in voice and demeanor. We are apt to see our first bird of this type starting the season sitting silent and alone on a fencepost or a wire or making a short flight out from a tree and back again. It appears listless, as if not interested in its surroundings, as if it were lazy and tired.

This particular bird has few enemies. A hawk may occasionally catch him off guard but not too often. Formerly man was the bird’s deadly enemy. Nowadays, however, the bird is protected as a song bird.

You cannot prevent the birds of sorrow from flying over your head, but you can prevent them from building nests in your hair.

Variations:
You cannot prevent the birds of worry and care from flying over your head. But you can stop them from building a nest in your head.

Bird Quote Popularity Poll

(4 answers max)

• Quote: You cannot prevent the birds of sorrow...

  • I understand the quote
  • I've heard it before
  • I've used the quote
  • It's an interesting quotation
  • Not good. Thumbs down!

  View Results

   Loading ...

Comment below how you use this popular quote and/or name the bird.

Large image: wikipedia