bird's eye view

Related to bird's eye view: street view

a bird's eye view

1. A view looking down at an object or area from a high elevation (as if from the perspective of a bird in flight). From up here you can get a bird's eye view of the entire campus.
2. A consideration of a problem or situation from a comprehensive perspective. In order to determine why the company was headed towards a fiscal disaster, the CFO had to take a step back and get a bird's eye view of the situation so he could locate the cause of the problem.
See also: eye, view
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

bird's eye view

An overview, as in This balcony gives us a bird's eye view of the town, or This course gives you a bird's eye view of history-from Eolithic man to the Gulf War in one semester . This expression can be used literally, for a panoramic view such as a bird might see, as well as figuratively. [c. 1600]
See also: eye, view
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

—'s-eye view

a view from the position or standpoint of the person or thing specified.
The most common versions of this phrase are bird's-eye view (see bird) and worm's-eye view (see worm).
1982 Ian Hamilton Robert Lowell There is a kind of double vision: the child's eye view judged and interpreted by the ironical narrator.
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • a bird's eye view
  • a bird's-eye view
  • bird's-eye view
  • eye-view
  • bird's-eye view, a
  • in (someone's) view
  • in view
  • pan over
  • come into view
  • fade from view
References in periodicals archive
To create a bird's eye view an artist would usually begin by choosing a position or angle from which the city would be depicted, and, if possible, he would view the city from that spot.
Your town: behold the view
"'Bird's Eye View' will hopefully be a model for other multimedia projects dealing with the legislative process and state government."
Computer gets new Michigan legislators on track
A bird's eye view of the velodrome under construction in Middlesbrough Sports Village, above.
On your bike: The new velodrome takes shape
The <Bpainting by an unknown artist of a bird's eye view bof Denbighshire country estate Llanerch Park
First 'bird's eye view' for sale
They were photographed by Martin Parr for his new exhibition, | |A Bird's Eye View Martin Parr
Cheeky cat's cake raid a highlight of family art project
Today's bets Bird's Eye View 3.00 Curragh 1pt win Shifting 4.30 Curragh 1pt each-way
Bird's Eye View set to take flight; TODAY'S BEST BETS IN IRELAND
BIRD'S EYE VIEW Tony returns chick to nest after tagging
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This week we get to see a bird's eye view of Asia and Australia.
Real bird's eye view; TVChoice Earthflight (BBC One, 8pm)
Scientists know that a bird's eye view is much more colourful than that of a human.
Birds' eye view 'is drab'
Mark Lawton, Asda's customer planner for fresh meat and fish, said: "Our security guard has a bird's eye view of our precious gobblers.
Guard takes a gander
Or take a helicopter ride to get a bird's eye view of the proceedings.
Summer fun
Its gradual 30 minute, 360 degrees rotation gives passengers a bird's eye view, usually accessible only by helicopter or plane, from a fully enclosed capsule.
London
The series will take a bird's eye view of Britain's natural history and cities, as well as its human story.
From the air, on air
A group of pensioners had enjoyed a bird's eye view of the game from their sheltered housing accommodation-enjoyment which was threatened by the building of a new stand.
Blyth spirit
We will be printing a picture a day over the coming days to show a bird's eye view of Coventry.
EYE IN THE SKY