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.
(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.
