arctic skua

Thân thiện

An arctic skua flies low over the ocean waves.

Definition

Noun: 1. A predatory seabird: The arctic skua is a species of seabird known for its aggressive behavior of chasing other birds to steal their food. It is a type of jaeger, belonging to the genus Stercorarius. 2. A specific bird species: Scientifically known as Stercorarius parasiticus, it is a long-winged bird that breeds in the Arctic and migrates to southern oceans.

Usage Examples

• The arctic skua is often seen harassing gulls and terns until they drop their catch.
• During our birdwatching trip, we spotted an arctic skua pursuing a puffin over the open water.
• The migration pattern of the arctic skua takes it from the high Arctic to the coasts of Africa and South America.

Advanced Usage

• In ecological context: The arctic skua is an example of kleptoparasitism, a feeding strategy where one animal steals food from another.
  • The study focused on the success rate of the arctic skua's kleptoparasitic attacks.

Variants and Related Words

• Parasitic Jaeger: This is the direct alternative common name for the arctic skua.
• Skua: The general term for birds in the family Stercorariidae, which includes the arctic skua, great skua, and others.
• Jaeger: The general term (from the German word for "hunter") for the smaller, more agile skuas like the arctic skua.

Synonyms

• Parasitic jaeger
• (scientific name)

Related Phrases

• To skua (verb, informal): To forcibly take something from someone, derived from the bird's behavior.
  • He managed to skua the last sandwich from his colleague.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a variety of jaeger

Từ đồng nghĩa

• parasitic jaeger
• Stercorarius parasiticus