the bird "stopped by" a tree

[sitifan]

One day, a man went out for a hunt in the forest. When he was walking past a tree, he saw a bird in the tree. “That’s a special bird. It can show me the way to beehives. By following the bird, I can get some honey,” the man thought. So the man followed the bird. The bird started to fly from tree to tree and stopped once or twice to wait for the man. After an hour, the bird stopped by a tree and started dancing. It was trying to say, “The honey is here.” The man then climbed up the tree and took all the honey. The bird kept flying around the man because it wanted some honey, too. However, the man didn’t give the bird any. (Hanlin English Workbook 3, page 64)
What does the phrasal verb "stop by" mean here?

 

[Tarheel]

The bird stopped and perched on one of the branches of the tree.

 

[Skrej]

You're parsing it incorrectly. It's not a phrasal verb in this context. It's just a verb followed by preposition of location, but it's not creating an idiomatic phrase.

The bird didn't 'stop by' a tree - it stopped by (next to) a tree.

Compare it to these examples, where it is used as a phrasal verb meaning 'to make a short visit'.
Can you stop by the grocery store on the way home and buy some milk?
Mr. Smith stopped by today to return your lawnmower.

 

[Barque]

Not a teacher

I agree with Skrej of course and I'd also say "stop by" isn't really the appropriate choice. The bird was flying from tree to tree, leading the man to one. It probably stopped at a specific tree rather than by it.

"By" suggests it stood on the ground next to that tree, but the writer probably meant it settled on the tree and waited for the man to catch up.

 

[jutfrank]

Compare it to these examples, where it is used as a phrasal verb meaning 'to make a short visit'.
Can you stop by the grocery store on the way home and buy some milk?
Mr. Smith stopped by today to return your lawnmower.

I first read it with this meaning, but now I think you're right—that the bird just stopped next to a tree, i.e. on the ground.

 

[Barque]

Not a teacher

That's what the words suggest, I agree, but from the overall context, I don't think that's what the writer meant.

The writer appears to be Chinese (Hanlin English workbook, as per the OP) and not a native speaker.

I think the writer meant "stopped at a tree". It perched on the tree.

 

[Tdol]

As it flew from tree to tree, I doubt that it was on the ground.

 

[emsr2d2]

@Barque You are not a teacher so when you're responding to other learners' questions, you need to make that clear in your post. I have added "Not a teacher" to the start of several of your responses. From the report you sent, I realise now that I failed to explain that's what I had done. For now, please add the information yourself to the start of your responses. Once you're able to create a signature line, you can simply put "I am not a teacher" there for all to see.