One beats the bush and another catcheth the bird.

The proverb describes an uneven outcome: someone does the work that makes a gain possible, but another person ends up with the gain. The bird represents the prize, not necessarily something taken by deceit.

It draws attention to the difference between creating an opportunity and benefiting from it. Depending on the situation, it can express frustration, warn of a foreseeable outcome, or simply observe how rewards are distributed.

Use it when one person's efforts clear the way for another person's success, especially if the first person receives little benefit. It need not imply that the person who gains acted dishonestly.