Green’s Dictionary of Slang

a general term of abuse.

1925		Mencken letter 18 Sept. in Riggio Dreiser-Mencken Letters II (1986) 539: You give too much credence to the literary shit-bugs who infest New York.
1951		J. Blake letter 23 Dec. in Joint (1972) 27: Louie remains the Eternal Shit-Bird.
1961		(con. early 1950s) J. Peacock Valhalla 43: He was always a shitbird anyway.
1965		H. Rhodes Chosen Few (1966) 213: He rounded the corner of the armory and saw Givens [...] bellowing ‘I’M TH’ BIGGES’ SHIT BIRD IN TH’ TRAINING SECTION!’.
1967		(con. 1920s) J. Thompson South of Heaven (1994) 40: You stinking little shitbird.
1970		D. Ponicsan Last Detail 4: They’d never send a shitbird like you to sea.
1975		J. Wambaugh Choirboys (1976) 283: ‘You cute little shitbird,’ she giggled, pounding Francis on the head.
1978		S. King Stand (1990) 161: He’s deader’na shitbug!
1987		T. Wolfe Bonfire of the Vanities 42: You yellow shitbird!
1990		(con. early 1950s) J. Ellroy L.A. Confidential 10: Capisce, shitbird?
1995		C. Hiaasen Stormy Weather 305: What’re you doing with that shitbird, anyway?
2000		J. Ellroy ‘Balls to the Wall’ in Destination: Morgue! (2004) 11: Rap stars and movie shitbirds verboten.
2006		G. Pelecanos Night Gardener 285: Bo gave up on the shitbird.
2008		Simon & Burns ‘Transitions’ Wire ser. 5 ep. 4 [TV script] Shitbird lays on his horn he should be locked up. Fuck his ignorant ass.
2012		G. Pelecanos (con. 1972) What It Was 183: Hey, shitbird [...] I’m a police officer.
2015		Baltimore Sun (MD) 3 June T23/4: ‘You do not get to win, shitbird’.
2020		C. Hiaasen Squeeze Me 75: ‘Burglars [...] Same shitbirds who tossed my apartment’.
2023		A. Nette Orphan Road 100: ‘Does Luchese Junior have a nickname?’ ‘How about shit bird?’.