eat like a bird

Meaning

This idiom is used to describe someone who eats very small amounts of food. It is a casual, slightly humorous expression that you can use to talk about friends or family members who have small appetites. It is usually affectionate or neutral, but not meant to be deeply insulting.

Examples

• My sister eats like a bird, so she rarely finishes her meals.

  My sister eats like a bird, so she rarely finishes her meals.

• Don't worry about cooking too much; Sarah eats like a bird.

  Don't worry about cooking too much; Sarah eats like a bird.

• You're eating like a bird today—is everything okay?

  You're eating like a bird today—is everything okay?

• Despite being quite tall, he surprisingly eats like a bird.

  Despite being quite tall, he surprisingly eats like a bird.

• I can't share a large pizza with her because she eats like a bird.

  I can't share a large pizza with her because she eats like a bird.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ She eats like bird.

  ✓ She eats like a bird.

  Don't forget the indefinite article 'a' before 'bird'.

• ✗ He is eating as a bird.

  ✓ He eats like a bird.

  Use the preposition 'like' to make comparisons of behavior, not 'as'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• She barely touched her dinner; she really eats like a ___.

  💡 a small flying animal

  Show answer

  bird

• You're eating ___ a bird today! Are you feeling sick?

  💡 preposition used for comparison

  Show answer

  like