catbird, n. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

catbird n.

[SE catbird (Dumatella carolinensis), known for its harassing of fellow birds. The catbird takes up a high, exposed position to deliver its song. The image is of a cat looking down on a targeted bird. Orig. a term used by a poker opponent of the sportscaster Red Barber (1908–92) and popularized first by him and latterly by a James Thurber story, ‘The Catbird Seat’ (14/11/1942)]

1. (US) a person of authority or power.

1924		W.E. Woodward Lottery 200: He’s a catbird, all right. He’s a leader in the advertising field.
1931		W.E. Atkins Economic Behavior 182: Garrison, the ‘Holdfast’ button king, liked Connelly, said ‘He’s a catbird’.
1968		‘Hy Lit’ Hy Lit’s Unbelievable Dict. of Hip Words 8: cat bird – The main man, the leader, top guy, the boss.

2. (US) a mischievous or cunning person.

1990

P. Green Wordbook 175: catbird. A rambunctious fellow [...] Same as a buck or a rounder.

3. (US campus) an admirable person.

1996

Eble Campus Sl. Sept. 2: catbird – really great person.

In phrases

in the catbird seat

in a privileged or advantageous position.

1940		Brooklyn Dly Eagle (NY) 14 May 10/6: ‘In the catbird seat’: Southern expression for sitting pretty. Catbird is a predatory species usuasally perched in an advatageous position for hunting field mice, frog, insects, etc.
1952		Wall Street Journal 3 June 11: A week of homage to secretaries, whom a public poll already had indicated are in the catbird’s seat at the business of snaring a spouse.
1953		Mad mag. Jan.–Feb. 19: He’ll be riding in the cat-bird seat of the emperor’s chariot.
1958		Wodehouse Cocktail Time 114: ‘I get you. If we swing it, we’ll be sitting pretty,’ ‘In the catbird seat.’.
1962		T. Berger Reinhart in Love (1963) 152: He led Reinhart to his own swivel chair and forced him into it. ‘How do you feel in the catbird seat, boy?’.
1978		W. Diehl Sharky’s Machine 135: You’re in the catbird seat there.
1988		Courier-Jrnl (Louisville, KY) 1 June 8/5: ‘From the start I was sitting in the catbird seat [...] The catbird seat is an advantageous one’.
1992		R. Price Clockers 575: The first guy comes in voluntarily [...] that guy’s gold, that guy’s in the catbird seat.
2005		Tennessean (Nashville, TN) 27 Feb. A2/3: As a seller you’re in the catbird seat. As a buyer, you’re ina cutthroat situation.