This proverb advises caution, emphasizing that it’s better to hold onto something certain and tangible rather than risk losing it for something uncertain or unattainable.

It underscores the value of appreciating what one already has over chasing speculative gains.

Often used in financial, personal, or strategic contexts, it promotes pragmatism and warns against greed or overambition that could lead to loss.

The phrase has ancient roots, traceable to Aesop’s fables (6th century BCE), specifically ‘The Hawk and the Nightingale,’ which illustrates the value of a sure thing. Its modern form appears in Latin as *Plus valet in manu quam quae volat in aere* (‘What is in the hand is worth more than what flies in the air’).

It entered English by the 15th century, with John Heywood’s 1546 *Proverbs* recording a version: ‘Better one byrde in hande than ten in the wood.’ The ‘bush’ variant emerged later,
reflecting English rural imagery. Popularized in hunting contexts, where a bird caught was more valuable than those still free, it became a staple in English literature, including works by Cervantes and Swift.