skua Ornith.
(ˈskjuːə)
[Adopted by Hoier (c 1604) from the Færoese sk{uacu}gvur (earlier *sk{uacu}vur), = ON. sk{uacu}fr (in mod.Icel. sk{uacu}mur), of uncertain origin.]
A predatory gull belonging to the genus Stercorarius, esp. the largest European species, S. catarrhactes, which breeds in Shetland, the Færöes, and Iceland.
| 1678 Ray Willughby's Ornith. 349 Hapning to read over the description of Hoier's Skua..I find it exactly agrees with ours, so that I do not at all doubt but this Bird is the Skua of Hoier. 1768 Pennant Brit. Zool. II. 417 They hold a knife erect over their heads, on which the Skua will transfix itself. 1777 Forster Voy. round World I. 109 We saw a bird..which proved to be the skua or great northern gull. 1826 Stephens in Shaw Gen. Zool. XIII. i. 214 The Skuas are more partial to fish..than the Jagers. Ibid. 216 Pomarine Skua. 1896 J. Skelton Summers & W. Balmawhapple I. 216 The tarrock skims lightly along, and screams as the skua comes prowling round the cape. |
b. attrib. in skua-gull.
| 1768 Pennant Brit. Zool. (1776) II. 447 headline, Skua Gull. 1820 Scoresby Acc. Arctic Reg. II. 370 Solan geese, skua-gulls and land birds on the wing. 1872 Coues N. Amer. Birds 26 A sort of false cere occurs in some water birds, as the jaegers, or skua-gulls. |