English

Alternative forms

• yard bird

Noun

yardbird ‎(plural yardbirds)

1. (chiefly US, slang) A chicken.
2. (chiefly US, slang) A person who is imprisoned.
   • 1985, John P. Conrad, "Charting a Course for Imprisonment Policy," Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, vol. 478, p. 126:

     The working convict is a rare exception, sometimes envied because his time is occupied, sometimes derided for his deviance from the yardbird norm.

3. (chiefly US, slang) A soldier who is required to perform menial work on the grounds of a military base.
   • 1943, "In the Rough," Time, 5 Jul.:

     As the Marines expanded to war strength, Lou Diamond was the ideal liaison between crusty old-timers and impressionable recruits. He taught quick action by threats of yardbird detail.

Translations

References

1. ↑ “yardbird” in Douglas Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary (2001).