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Glite Dictionary
great skua

great skua

8.7
A large brown seabird that attacks other birds to steal food
  • noun
  • /ɡreɪt skuːə/
  • UK
translation icon : skúa grande
  • The great skua is notorious for attacking other seabirds to steal their food.

Examples

  • Conservationists are monitoring the population of the great skua in Scotland.

  • The great skua is known for its fierce nature.

  • We spotted a flock of great skuas while sailing along the Icelandic coast.

  • Many great skuas can be spotted in Iceland.

  • The great skua is often seen stealing fish from other seabirds along the coast.

  • During the nesting season, the great skua becomes very aggressive in protecting its territory.

  • We observed a great skua attacking a smaller bird to claim its nest in the rocky cliffs.

Synonyms

skua
vsgreat skua
1 9.9

A large aggressive seabird like a gull that steals food from other birds

is limited to the specific brown Atlantic species rather than the whole group
Catharacta skua
vsgreat skua
  • Archaic
9.9

A large brown seabird of the northern Atlantic that chases other birds to take food

is the common name rather than the formal taxonomic name

Surface Forms

great skua singular
great skuas plural

Morphology

great + skua

The compound is a straightforward adjective + noun composition: 'great' (very large) modifying 'skua' (a seabird), so the meaning 'a large skua' is directly derivable from the parts. Although it is a specific species name, the construction follows a common cross‑linguistic pattern, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will understand it.

Etymology

Great skua may come from an old sailors' word for 'pirate' because the bird skua acts like a sea thief, chasing and attacking other birds to steal their food. That's why the name fits this large, aggressive seabird.