A bird in the hand.....

      Photo of BarrytheBirder and eagle by Judy Craig

  .....is worth two in the bush.

This proverb exists in many languages:

Italian:     E meglio oggi L'uovo, che domani la gallina.

                 (Better the egg today than the hen tomorrow.)

French:   Un 'tiens' vaut mieux que deux 'to L'auras'.

                (One 'here you are' is worth more than two 'you'll get it'.)

German:  Ein Vogel  in der Hand ist besser als zehn uber Land.

                (One bird in the hand is better than ten flying over the land'.)

                 Besser ein spatzin der Hand, als eine Taube auf dem Dache.

                (Better a sparrow in the hand than a pigeon on the roof.)

Russian: Ne suli zhuravlya v nebe, a day sinitsu v ruki.

                (Don't promise the crane in the sky, but give the tit in your hand.)

Latin:      Certa anittimus dum incerta petimus (Plautus).

                (We lose what is certain while seeking that which is uncertain.)

-- Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase & Fable 

Please comment if you wish.

BtheB