Old birds are not to be caught with chaff

Russian translation

Старых птиц на мякину не поймаешь

Опытного человека нельзя обмануть пустословием или нехитрыми приемами.

Derivation

An old bird. To catch with chaff.

Variants

You cannot catch old birds with chaff.

Old birds are not caught with chaff.

Synonyms

An old fox is not easily snared.

Experience teaches us wisdom.

Experience is the mother of wisdom.

Comparison

Старого воробья на мякине не проведешь.

Старый волк знает толк.

Examples

There was a softness in Roy's voice such as I imagined he would use if he were telling a prospective father that his wife was about to gratify his wishes. It cut no ice with me. “Come off it, Roy,” I said. “I'm too old a bird to be caught with chaff. Spit it out.” (Maugham)

Everybody hunted him. The other young ladies languished after him still more longingly. He had little notes from these; presents of purses worked by them, and cigar-cases embroidered with his coronet. They sang to him in cozy boudoirs. They ogled him as they sang. And so forth, and so forth – with which chaff our noble bird was by no means to be caught. (Thackeray)

On this present birthday, Mr. Bagnet has accomplished the usual preliminaries. He has bought two specimens of poultry, which, if there be any truth in adages, were certainly not caught with chaff, to be prepared for the spit. (Dickens)