bird of passage

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bird of passage

/ˌbɜːd əv ˈpæsɪd͡ʒ/ UK
/ˌbɝd əv ˈpæsɪd͡ʒ/ US

Where it comes from

Probably a calque of Middle French oiseau de passage: oiseau (“bird”), passage (“part of a journey or route, passage”).

noun birds of passage

A migratory bird, especially a passage migrant (“a bird that stops somewhere for a short time during a seasonal migration”). There is a wonderful conformity between the vegetation of ſome plants, and the arrival of certain birds of paſſage. [Carl] Linnaeus obſerves that the wood anemone blows in Sweden on the arrival of the ſwallow; and the marſh mary-gold, Caltha, when the cuckoo ſings.
Similar: migrant
figuratively Someone passing through a place and only staying for a short time; an itinerant. The muſick and entertainments of Bath are over for this ſeason; and all our gay birds of paſſage have taken their flight to Briſtol-vvell, Tunbridge, Brighthelmſtone, Scarborough, Harrovvgate, &c.
Similar: bird of passage, gadabout, itinerant, peregrinator, rambler, rover, traveller, voyager, wanderer, wayfarer

Translations

Every language

noun migratory bird — see also migratory bird

Español	ave pasajera
Français	oiseau de passage

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MLA

"bird of passage." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/bird%20of%20passage. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

bird of passage. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/bird%20of%20passage

Chicago

"bird of passage." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/bird%20of%20passage.

BibTeX

@misc{bird_of_passage_2026,
  title = {bird of passage},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/bird%20of%20passage},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}