LSA 1859; MRCS Eng 1860; MB Lond 1868.
Bird was born in Pendleton, Manchester in 1838, the son of the Manchester surgeon, Thomas Bird. After qualifying, Bird was appointed house surgeon in 1862 and subsequently surgeon to Stockport Infirmary, holding this post until his death in 1882. He was an active member of Manchester Medical Society and Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society and was vice-president of the Cheshire Branch of the BMA.