skua

[ skyoo-uh ]

noun

1. Also called bonxie. any of several large brown gull-like predatory birds of the genus Catharacta, related to jaegers, especially C. skua great skua, of colder waters of both northern and southern seas.
2. British. jaeger ( def 1 ).

skua

/ ˈskjuːə /

noun

1. any predatory gull-like bird of the family Stercorariidae, such as the great skua or bonxie ( Stercorarius skua ) or arctic skua ( S. parasiticus ) both of which harass terns or gulls into dropping or disgorging fish they have caught

Word History and Origins

Origin of skua¹

1670–80; < Faeroese skū ( g ) vur; cognate with Old Norse skūfr tassel, tuft, also skua (in poetry), akin to shove ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of skua¹

C17: from New Latin, from Faeroese skūgvur, from Old Norse skūfr

Example Sentences

The new entries include the Arctic tern, known for its incredible migration, the giant skua, or pirate of the sea, and two types of gull.

From BBC

Last month, Spanish researchers confirmed that H5N1, the highly pathogenic form of avian influenza, had finally turned up—as long feared—in Antarctica, in two dead birds called skuas near an Argentine research station.

From Science Magazine

Bird flu was first identified on South Georgia in October 2023, in the large scavenging seabird known as the brown skua, with detections in kelp gulls shortly after.

From BBC

Just two months later, the virus was detected in brown skuas in South Georgia, the first cases in the region.

From New York Times

Birds called brown skuas target the eggs and young penguins of careless parents.

From NewsForKids.net