gray catbird
Definition
Noun: 1. A North American songbird (Dumetella carolinensis) whose characteristic call resembles the mewing of a cat. It is a medium-sized, slate-gray bird known for its long tail and secretive nature, often found in dense thickets and shrubby areas.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- We spotted a gray catbird hiding in the raspberry bushes.
- The distinctive mewing call of the gray catbird is a common sound in summer thickets.
Advanced Usage
- "A catbird's seat": This idiom, meaning an advantageous position, is derived from a different bird (the catbird, likely referring to a gray catbird or similar species known for its loud, conspicuous calls from an elevated perch).
- After the promotion, he was sitting in the catbird seat.
Variants and Related Words
- Catbird (n): A common shortened name for the gray catbird.
- A catbird was singing from the top of the fence.
Synonyms
- Dumetella carolinensis: The scientific, taxonomic name for the gray catbird.
- Slate-colored mockingbird: An informal descriptive name, referencing its gray color and mimetic song.
Related Phrases
- To mew like a catbird: To make a sound similar to the call of the gray catbird.
- The rusty hinge mewed like a catbird.
Noun
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North American songbird whose call resembles a cat's mewing
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