--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People are like birds - from a distance…" description: "\"People are like birds - from a distance, beautiful: from close up, those sharp beaks, those beady little eyes.\" — Richard J. Needham" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/212/richard-j-needham-27999_beaks_people-are-like-birds-from-a-distance-be_1111367.png" --- # People are like birds - from a distance, beautiful: from… ![“People are like birds - from a distance, beautiful: from close up, those sharp beaks, those beady little eyes.” quote by Richard J. Needham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/212/richard-j-needham-27999_beaks_people-are-like-birds-from-a-distance-be_1111367.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/212/richard-j-needham-27999_beaks_people-are-like-birds-from-a-distance-be_1111367.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/212/richard-j-needham-27999_beaks_people-are-like-birds-from-a-distance-be_1111367.png) > “People are like birds - from a distance, beautiful: from close up, those sharp beaks, those beady little eyes.” [Richard J. Needham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-needham/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People appear attractive from afar, but up close their flaws become evident, highlighting perspective’s effect on perception. **In simple terms:** Distance hides flaws; closeness reveals them. Key Takeaway Consider how distance shapes judgment. Themes perception beauty judgment Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical observational When to use this quote - relationships - first impressions - social media - personal growth Key Concepts subjectivity human nature Questions to Reflect On - How does distance alter your view? - Do you value inner or outer beauty? A Different Perspective Close proximity can also reveal hidden strengths. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beautiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful/) [Beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty/) [Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bird/) [Birds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/birds/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [People are like birds: on the wing, all beautiful; up close, all beady little eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/people-are-like-birds-on-the-wing-all-beautiful-up-close-all-beady/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [I sit in my tree I sing like the birds My beak is my pen My songs are my poems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-almond/i-sit-in-my-tree-i-sing-like-the-birds-my-beak-is-my-pen-my-songs-are/) [David Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-almond/) > [Birds are flyin' south for winter. Here's the Weird-Bird headin' north, Wings a-flappin', beak a-chatterin', Cold head bobbin' back 'n' forth. He says, "It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shel-silverstein/birds-are-flyin-south-for-winter-here-s-the-weird-bird-headin-north/) [Shel Silverstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shel-silverstein/) > [I really like birds. Everyone always wants me to say that I can't stand to go near them, just like they want Janet Leigh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tippi-hedren/i-really-like-birds-everyone-always-wants-me-to-say-that-i-can-t/) [Tippi Hedren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tippi-hedren/) > [I like birds, they can fly away when things get too crazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-like-birds-they-can-fly-away-when-things-get-too-crazy/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Like the birds I will fly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-forester/like-the-birds-i-will-fly/) [Victoria Forester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-forester/) > [Just like birds, hunters know no borders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wole-soyinka/just-like-birds-hunters-know-no-borders/) [Wole Soyinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wole-soyinka/) > [I like birds and dogs. I'm allergic to cats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-fisher/i-like-birds-and-dogs-i-m-allergic-to-cats/) [Carrie Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-fisher/) > [Days go by like birds in the sky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/days-go-by-like-birds-in-the-sky/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The day we decide to drop the flimsy makeshift scenarios in our cluttered mind and eschew the ‘alleluias’ of self-importance, life can become genuine,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-pevernagie/the-day-we-decide-to-drop-the-flimsy-makeshift-scenarios-in-our/) [Erik Pevernagie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-pevernagie/) > [Good people are like street lights. Which don't cut the distance short. But they lighten up your path and make it easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/good-people-are-like-street-lights-which-don-t-cut-the-distance-short/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [Come on," I said. "I've got some questions for Thoth. And then I'm going to punch him in the beak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/come-on-i-said-i-ve-got-some-questions-for-thoth-and-then-i-m-going/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [Night was falling. Birds were singing. Birds were, it occurred to me to say, enacting a frantic celebration of day's end. They were manifesting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/night-was-falling-birds-were-singing-birds-were-it-occurred-to-me-to/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [Repeat the truth so that the dull can grasp it! Repeat the truth with the speed of a woodpecker's beak making holes in tree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/repeat-the-truth-so-that-the-dull-can-grasp-it-repeat-the-truth-with/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Can you imagine any better example of divine creative accomplishment that the consummate flying machine that is a bird? The skeleton, very flexible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-murchie/can-you-imagine-any-better-example-of-divine-creative-accomplishment/) [Guy Murchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-murchie/) ## More by Richard J. Needham > [The seven ages of man: spills, drills, thrills, bills, ills, pills and wills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-needham/the-seven-ages-of-man-spills-drills-thrills-bills-ills-pills-and-wills/) [Richard J. Needham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-needham/) > [Power is a drug on which the politicians are hooked. They buy it from the voters, using the voters' own money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-needham/power-is-a-drug-on-which-the-politicians-are-hooked-they-buy-it-from/) [Richard J. Needham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-needham/) > [Lovely girls are terribly insecure. They are convinced that their legs are too thick, and their bottoms are too big, and their bosoms are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-needham/lovely-girls-are-terribly-insecure-they-are-convinced-that-their-legs/) [Richard J. Needham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-needham/) > [When a man tells me he's run out of steam in the sex department, I'll tell him, 'Count your blessings; you've escaped from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-needham/when-a-man-tells-me-he-s-run-out-of-steam-in-the-sex-department-i-ll/) [Richard J. Needham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-needham/) > [Every woman needs one man in her life who is strong and responsible. Given this security, she can proceed to do what she really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-needham/every-woman-needs-one-man-in-her-life-who-is-strong-and-responsible/) [Richard J. Needham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-needham/) > [God punishes us mildly by ignoring our prayers and severely by answering them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-needham/god-punishes-us-mildly-by-ignoring-our-prayers-and-severely-by/) [Richard J. Needham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-needham/) > [For the first half of your life, people tell you what you should do; for the second half, they tell you what you should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-needham/for-the-first-half-of-your-life-people-tell-you-what-you-should-do/) [Richard J. Needham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-needham/) > [When money is seen as a solution for every problem, money itself becomes the problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-needham/when-money-is-seen-as-a-solution-for-every-problem-money-itself/) [Richard J. Needham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-needham/) > [If you would have God hear you when you pray, you must hear him when he speaks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-needham/if-you-would-have-god-hear-you-when-you-pray-you-must-hear-him-when/) [Richard J. Needham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-needham/) > [You don't marry one person; you marry three: the person you think they are, the person they are, and the person they are going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-needham/you-don-t-marry-one-person-you-marry-three-the-person-you-think-they/) [Richard J. Needham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-needham/) > [Love is a fever which marriage puts to bed and cures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-needham/love-is-a-fever-which-marriage-puts-to-bed-and-cures/) [Richard J. Needham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-needham/) > [When people are against profits they're against business; when they're against business, they're against employment; when they're against employment, it's not surprising that a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-needham/when-people-are-against-profits-they-re-against-business-when-they-re/) [Richard J. Needham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-needham/) > [The person who is brutally honest enjoys the brutality quite as much as the honesty. Possibly more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-needham/the-person-who-is-brutally-honest-enjoys-the-brutality-quite-as-much/) [Richard J. Needham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-needham/) > [The ghastly thing about postal strikes is that after they are over, the service returns to normal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-needham/the-ghastly-thing-about-postal-strikes-is-that-after-they-are-over/) [Richard J. Needham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-needham/) > [I used to look down on the world for being corrupt, but now I adore it for the utter magnificence of that corruption.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-needham/i-used-to-look-down-on-the-world-for-being-corrupt-but-now-i-adore-it/) [Richard J. Needham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-needham/) [Explore all 20 Richard J. Needham quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-needham/) ## More Beaks quotes > [Can you imagine any better example of divine creative accomplishment that the consummate flying machine that is a bird? The skeleton, very flexible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-murchie/can-you-imagine-any-better-example-of-divine-creative-accomplishment/) [Guy Murchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-murchie/) > [Come on," I said. "I've got some questions for Thoth. And then I'm going to punch him in the beak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/come-on-i-said-i-ve-got-some-questions-for-thoth-and-then-i-m-going/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [Night was falling. Birds were singing. Birds were, it occurred to me to say, enacting a frantic celebration of day's end. They were manifesting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/night-was-falling-birds-were-singing-birds-were-it-occurred-to-me-to/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [Repeat the truth so that the dull can grasp it! Repeat the truth with the speed of a woodpecker's beak making holes in tree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/repeat-the-truth-so-that-the-dull-can-grasp-it-repeat-the-truth-with/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [As you may know, KFC is under worldwide pressure to eliminate its cruelest abuses of chickens, such as cutting the beaks off baby birds;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-anderson/as-you-may-know-kfc-is-under-worldwide-pressure-to-eliminate-its/) [Pamela Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-anderson/) > [The child is born speaking the languages of birds; the child has horns and scales and wings; it has a beak; it has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rikki-ducornet/the-child-is-born-speaking-the-languages-of-birds-the-child-has-horns/) [Rikki Ducornet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rikki-ducornet/) > [I think a pillow should be the peace symbol, not the dove. The pillow has more feathers than the dove, and it doesn't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/i-think-a-pillow-should-be-the-peace-symbol-not-the-dove-the-pillow/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Beauty is, in some way, boring. Even if its concept changes through the ages... a beautiful object must always follow certain rules. A beautiful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/beauty-is-in-some-way-boring-even-if-its-concept-changes-through-the/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [It took me three weeks to stuff the turkey. I stuffed it through the beak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/it-took-me-three-weeks-to-stuff-the-turkey-i-stuffed-it-through-the/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [Sharp is the kiss of the falcon's beak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/sharp-is-the-kiss-of-the-falcon-s-beak/) [Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/) > [I sit in my tree I sing like the birds My beak is my pen My songs are my poems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-almond/i-sit-in-my-tree-i-sing-like-the-birds-my-beak-is-my-pen-my-songs-are/) [David Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-almond/) > [Please also remember the pitiful gasping/thirsty little mouths/ beaks in summer. They'll appreciate abundant/fresh/cool/clean/ water! Food they can get easily in parks/sidewalks!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adela-popescu/please-also-remember-the-pitiful-gasping-thirsty-little-mouths-beaks/) [Adela Popescu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adela-popescu/) > [Without a human voice to read them aloud, or a pair of wide eyes following them by flashlight beneath a blanket, books had no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-connolly/without-a-human-voice-to-read-them-aloud-or-a-pair-of-wide-eyes/) [John Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-connolly/) > [The robin flew from his swinging spray of ivy on to the top of the wall and he opened his beak and sang a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/the-robin-flew-from-his-swinging-spray-of-ivy-on-to-the-top-of-the/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [I must confess that I and a few others are burdened with heavy responsibilities regarding the future of criticism. I am certainly, if not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-aragon/i-must-confess-that-i-and-a-few-others-are-burdened-with-heavy/) [Louis Aragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-aragon/) Browse all 64 Beaks quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "People are like birds - from a distance, beautiful: from close up, those sharp beaks, those beady little eyes.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Richard J. Needham" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-needham/people-are-like-birds-from-a-distance-beautiful-from-close-up-those/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Beaks" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-needham/people-are-like-birds-from-a-distance-beautiful-from-close-up-those/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/212/richard-j-needham-27999_beaks_people-are-like-birds-from-a-distance-be_1111367.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/212/richard-j-needham-27999_beaks_people-are-like-birds-from-a-distance-be_1111367.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/212/richard-j-needham-27999_beaks_people-are-like-birds-from-a-distance-be_1111367.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“People are like birds - from a distance, beautiful: from close up, those sharp beaks, those beady little eyes.” — Richard J. Needham", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Richard J. Needham", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-needham/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "People are like birds - from...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-needham/people-are-like-birds-from-a-distance-beautiful-from-close-up-those/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-needham/people-are-like-birds-from-a-distance-beautiful-from-close-up-those/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```