yellow bird
n.— «For another, ward leaders have been known to take street money from candidates, promise support and then not deliver. There is a name for this, too. These ward leaders are called “yellow birds,” after the old airline commercial that touted vacation flights to Florida. They take your money and metaphorically (and sometimes literally) head south.» —“Cash and Carry (the City)” by Tom Ferrick Jr. in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania New York Times Apr. 22, 2008. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
“What has a head like a cat, feet like a cat, a tail like a cat, but isn’t a cat?” Answer: a kitten! A 1948 children’s joke book has lots of these to share with kids. Plus: an easy explanation for the difference between...
When someone is perseverating or worrying too much, some Spanish speakers will suggest they stop obsessing with the phrase no te comas el coco. Literally, it means “don’t eat the coconut,” the word cocoin Spanish being slang for...