it is an ill bird that fouls its own nest
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Meaning · English
One who harms or betrays their own community or family
Literally: a bird that defecates in its own nest
Examples
The corrupt politician is an ill bird that fouls its own nest
AI-drafted example auto-approved by rule (illustrative, not a corpus attestation)
Sources & notes
Listed on English Wikiquote “English proverbs” (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-31). Definition drafted by AI (@cf/meta/llama-3.3-70b-instruct-fp8-fast) and auto-approved by rule on 2026-07-31; pending editor spot-check.
Common questions
What does “it is an ill bird that fouls its own nest” mean?
One who harms or betrays their own community or family Literally: a bird that defecates in its own nest
Is “it is an ill bird that fouls its own nest” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.