Definition

Noun: A large, predatory seabird (Stercorarius skua) of the skua family, characterized by its brown plumage and found primarily in the northern Atlantic Ocean. It is known for its aggressive behavior, often stealing food from other birds.

Usage

The term "great skua" is used specifically to identify this particular species of skua. It functions as a countable noun.

Examples

• The great skua is a formidable predator that will chase gulls and terns to force them to drop their catch.
• We spotted a pair of great skuas following our fishing boat off the coast of Iceland.
• Ornithologists are studying the breeding grounds of the great skua in the Shetland Islands.

Advanced Usage

• The species name is used in scientific and formal contexts.
• The term can be used attributively (like an adjective) to describe related concepts, e.g., "great skua population," "great skua behavior."

Variants and Related Words

• Bonxie: (noun) A colloquial name for the great skua, commonly used in Scotland and the Northern Isles.
• Skua: (noun) The general family name for several species of seabirds, including the great skua, known for their kleptoparasitic habits.

Synonyms

• Bonxie (regional synonym)
• Stercorarius skua (scientific synonym)

Related Phrases

• To harass like a skua: This phrase, though not a fixed idiom, uses the bird's behavior metaphorically to describe aggressively pursuing or bullying someone to obtain something from them.

Noun

1. large brown skua of the northern Atlantic