ETYM Icel. skufr, skumr.
Gull-like jaeger of northern seas; SYN. bonxie.
Large, predatory gull.
Dark-colored gull-like seabird, family Stercorariidae, living in Arctic and Antarctic waters. Skuas can grow up to 60 cm/2 ft long and are good fliers. They are aggressive scavengers, and seldom fish for themselves but force gulls to disgorge their catch, and also eat chicks of other birds.
The largest species is the great skua Stercorarius skua of the N Atlantic, 60 cm/2 ft long and dark brown on the upper parts.