catbirds
Gray feathered mimickers
Catbirds are North American songbirds named for their cat-like mewing call.
The gray catbird is the most common species, a sleek slate-gray bird often found in dense shrubs.
To be in the catbird seat is to be in a position of advantage or control—the phrase likely refers to the bird's habit of singing from high, commanding perches.
Dense shrub cluster
- undergrowthLow forest vegetation
- shrubberyPlanted area of bushes
- hedgerowLinear shrub boundary
- brambleThorny wild shrub
brushland · scrubland · deciduous · riparian · garden · suburban · nesting · territorial
Spotted woodland vocalist
- passerinePerching bird order member
- mockingbirdSound-copying songbird
- thrasherGround-foraging mimid songbird
- songbirdMelodious perching avian
bowerbird · neotropical · endemic · subspecies · taxonomy · classification · genus · family
Neutral achromatic hue
- slateFissile metamorphic rock
- charcoalBurned wood residue
- ashCombustion's powdery remains
- plumageBird's complete feather coat
feathers · cap · undertail · rufous · sleek · crest · wing · tail
Soft cat cry
- catcallHarassing shout or whistle
- raspyRough and grating
- warbleSing with tremolo
- chirpShort, high avian sound
trill · whistle · vocalization · call · serenade · melody · duet
Copy of the original
- mockingbirdSound-copying songbird
- copycatOne who mimics another
- repertoireWorks ready to perform
- mimicOne who copies others
echo · emulate · impersonation · parrot · sequence · improvisation
thicket
Dense shrub cluster
- undergrowthLow forest vegetation
- shrubberyPlanted area of bushes
- hedgerowLinear shrub boundary
bramble · brushland · scrubland · deciduous · riparian · garden · suburban · nesting · territorial · secretive
thrush
Spotted woodland vocalist
- passerinePerching bird order member
- mockingbirdSound-copying songbird
- thrasherGround-foraging mimid songbird
songbird · bowerbird · neotropical · endemic · subspecies · taxonomy · classification · genus · family
gray
Neutral achromatic hue
plumage · feathers · cap · undertail · rufous · sleek · crest · wing · tail · beak
mew
Soft cat cry
chirp · trill · whistle · vocalization · call · serenade · melody · duet
imitation
Copy of the original
- mockingbirdSound-copying songbird
- copycatOne who mimics another
- repertoireWorks ready to perform
mimic · echo · emulate · impersonation · parrot · sequence · improvisation
binoculars
Handheld dual-lens magnifier
- ornithologistOne who studies birds
- sightingInstance of perceiving something
- identificationEstablishing who someone is
backyard · feeder · birdbath · twitcher · lifer · spotting · migration · wintering
catbirdsmute swans
White waterfowl, actually vocal
vultures · pigeons · doves · hawks · hummingbirds
- catbird seatPosition of control