I don't see what's offensive about the term. In my mind's eye, I see that stone projected through the air, hitting a mental bird, and, still moving with much force, rebounding off bird one and hitting bird two.

Isn't there some kind of gun shot that spreads so that a hunter could get several birds with one blast of the gun? Don't know much about hutning at all...

The image of birds speaking with their beaks full will stick with me all day, by the way. Imagine birds speaking with beaks full of worms--gross! Just about as creepy as Medussa, that image is. The seed one's easier on the imagination.

Tit for tat times two = something like killing two birds with one stone.

Anyway, Google turned up the article pasted below written by an environmentalist. Most of the expressions proposed really don't convey at all the meaning of killing two bird with one stone, but I'll paste them just for interest:

"In my confusion, I posted a request on the INFOTERRA network run by the United Nations Environment Program through the Uganda National Focal Point, Ms. Elizabeth Gowa. I simply requested anyone out there who could assist me not to offend the environmental community in future while at the same time able to explain the advantages of "being able to do two things in a single effort".

The response was good. Some thought this was not a topic relevant for the INFOTERRA conference. They probably already knew of a non-destructive way to say "killing two birds with one stone". However others were worse than what I could have imagined. Let me list them. Pick what suits you.

These are not any better.

"get two birds in one shot"
"throwing the baby out with the bath water"
"catch two pigeons with one broad bean"
"get seven flies with one slap"
"make two hits with one stone"
"to kill two flies with one hit"
"when killing, conserve stones"
"catch two birds with one worm"
"double hit with one blow"
"feed two birds on one huge stone"
"eat two birds in a lifetime"
"to catch two worms with one beak"
"double edged sword" for whatsoever.

How about these

"one path two works"
"grow two trees from one seed"
"feed two children from one bowl"
"take the extra mile in one stride"
"meet two goals with one strategy"
"two problems, one solution"
"hit two nails with one swing"
"buy one, get one free"
"have your cake and eat it too"
"two for the price of one"
"two fires put out by a single shower"
"identify two new birds on the field trip"
"love two girls with one kiss"
"get your biggest deal from your shilling"
"doing double duty"
"stacking functions"
"take maximum advantage from a situation"

Then there were these from Scotland:

"fools look to tomorrow, wise men use today"
"get what you can, keep what you have that is the way to get rich"
"it is an ugly lass that is never kissed and a silly body that is never missed:

Have a nice day and let your utterances always be environmentally friendly!"

The url's too long to paste. I'll see whether it can be reduced later today.

Bird regards,
WW