parasitic jaeger
- noun
- /ˌpærəˈsɪtɪk ˈjeɪɡər/
- Specialized
:
jaeger parásito
- The parasitic jaeger often harasses gulls and terns to force them to drop food.
Examples
-
A parasitic jaeger can be identified by its sharp flight and long central tail feathers.
-
During migration, several parasitic jaegers were spotted along the coast.
-
The parasitic jaeger is known for its aggressive behavior.
-
Many parasitic jaegers can be seen along the coast during summer.
-
The parasitic jaeger is known for stealing food from other seabirds during its hunting flights.
-
At the birdwatching event, we saw a parasitic jaeger chasing a gull to snatch its catch.
-
When the parasitic jaeger appears, other birds quickly drop their prey in fear of losing it.
Synonyms
3
9.9
A large sea bird that chases other birds to make them drop food
A seabird that chases other birds to steal their food on northern coasts
A medium-sized seabird in Arctic regions that chases other birds to steal food
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is straightforwardly compositional: 'parasitic' (taking advantage of others) modifies 'jaeger' (a kleptoparasitic seabird), so a learner who knows both words can infer it denotes a jaeger that steals food from other birds. This is a regular adjective+noun combination following literal semantics rather than an idiomatic shift, making it immediately understandable.
Etymology
Parasitic jaeger gets its name from the bird's behavior: it chases other seabirds until they drop their food and then takes it. The word parasitic points to taking from a 'host', so the name helps you remember it means the bird 'steals food' from other birds.