bonxie

(ˈbɒŋksɪ)

(Animals) (originally in Shetland) the great skua. See skua

[C19: probably of Scandinavian origin: compare Norwegian bunke heap, something dumpy]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

bonxie - gull-like jaeger of northern seas

skua

jaeger - rapacious seabird that pursues weaker birds to make them drop their prey

Catharacta, genus Catharacta - skuas

Catharacta skua, great skua - large brown skua of the northern Atlantic

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References in periodicals archive

Wheater, migrants form Africa with their unmistakable white rump, flit from post to post as you head up the path, while the barrelchested great skua, or "bonxie" as we call it, cruises past looking for an easy meal.

NATURE IN THE RAW; Wildlife cameraman Raymond Besant savours the sights and sounds of a seabird city at Marwick Head on Orkney

The predatory sea bird the bonxie is better known as what?

Quiz of the Day

The great skua is known to birders across the UK by its Shetland name - bonxie.

No 'birder' worth his salt can miss out on a trip to the wilds of Shetland; Nature in the raw in one of the world's true wildernesses The Great Escape

18 Which formidable predatory seabird is sometimes known by its Shetland name of the bonxie?

POST PUZZLER: 50 for fun; Phil Brown's trivia quiz

STORNOWAY Bonxie Birds and their flight paths are a good metaphor for this music's aims and intent.

Album releases ses es STAND [...]

RICHARD STEEL encountered a Bonxie which landed on the seawall at Leasowe over the high tide on Monday

THE faded tattoos; travel/country

The day before, a Leach's storm petrel had flown past Porthcawl and a great skua, or "bonxie", had been rescued from Port Talbot beach and brought to the Kenfig Reserve Centre to be cared for.

DOWN TO EARTH WITH MR MOON

Farther out, a Bonxie patrolled the horizon - the biggest and most menacing of our skuas.

John Dempsey on country matters... travel/country

The boys loved the sight of a great Skua, or bonxie, attacking a much larger gannet to make it drop its load of fish.

SHEER MAGIC; TOM MORTON and kids, Magnus, 12, James, nine, and Martha, six, went on a wildlife cruise off the Shetlands

``Sgiwen yr Arctig a'r Sgiwen Fawr sy'n cael ei galw'n bonxie yn yr Alban.

Iolo a Dewi ... adar o'r unlliw?; Annes Glynn yn sgwrsio ag Iolo Williams am ei daith i'r Alban yng nghwmni Dewi Pws

They started "Dear Crustie" and were signed "Bonxie."

MURDER BID STEPMUM WAS JUST LIKE HITLER; Court told of hate nickname