I grew up on a Scottish island calling all Stercorariidae ‘Skua’- a fine old Norse name for these equally fine birds. Its also the Scots Gaelic name for the birds. Only later did I hear that those quaint Americans called them ‘jaegers’- an old german name I’m told, although given Germany’s near landlocked nature I’m not sure how that name came to be. Now I read Aussies using the two names to refer to two types of Stercorarid. Sorry, but they will all always be Skua to me! Or maybe we should dump common names altogether as they result in so much hot air and confusion… Cheers. Mark Carter (who is looking forward to seeing lots of SKUA on the Albany pelagic this weekend!) www.desertlife.com.au (by iPhone) ===============================
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Bonxie was in use when I lived in Ireland from 2000-2002
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The only time I have ever been attacked by a bird which drew blood the species was… a Little Tern (very painful, they move fast).
John Leonard
He he.
Marilyn Hewish, Jan and I got monstered (but not actually attacked) by a Great Skua on Runde off the coast of Norway in 1996.
Runde is a worthy entry onto any birding bucket-list, but I’m not sure that getting attacked would quite make that one.
Bill
Bonxie is a Northern Isles (Shetland/ Orkney) name for Great Skua Stercorarius skua only. I seem to remember someone telling me that Bonxie is onomatopoeic- a reference to the sound they make as they peck the back of your skull? It seems to have gotten trendy among UK birders in the 80s. Outside birding circles going around the Hebrides calling it Bonxie will just get you blank looks. But hey, its been nearly a decade since I lived there so maybe things have changed? For anyone planning boring bucket-lists, getting attacked by Great Skua/Bonxie at a nesting site is a quintessential Scottish birding experience- heartily recommended if you are into adrenalin sports. Don’t forget a hard hat and first aid kit!
Mark Carter (packing his bag to set off in search of some WA SKUAS, hehe!) http://www.desertlife.com.au ===============================
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Calling them Skuas can also keep non-birding friends in rubbish jokes for ages, viz “Oh is that a barbecued meat skua?” (as do other sea birds “Have I ever seen an unleaded petrel?”) But, this level of humour beats the standard bird-watcher “jokes” normally proffered… Cheers Tom Wilson
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I’m with you, Mark, grew up with Skuas and Skuas they will remain!
Cheers
Colin
If it’s any help, “Jager” is also the Dutch common name for a skua. The French is “labbe”, but I’ve no idea what that translates to. Cheers,
Tony
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Mark & Carl,
Yes, “Jaeger” (or correctly “Jäger”) is German for hunter. And yes again, their German common name is “Raubmöwe”, which means “Robber Gull”. Even if Germany was landlocked, there would still be German common names (e.g. there are German common names for all Australian birds). However, I have seen all three Jaegers plus Great Skua in Germany at the North Sea in Germany. Arctic Jaeger (Brit)/Arctic Skua (Aus)/Parasitic Jaeger (Am) even migrates across the European landmass to winter in the Red Sea
Cheers,
Nikolas
Interestingly, Jaeger is not the German common name. Long-tailed Jaeger is “Falkenraubmöwe” and the Arctic, “Schmarotzerraubmöwe”. I will leave the discussion on their pronunciation to yourselves.
Cheers,
Carl Clifford
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Jaeger – if I am not mistaken – is German for “hunter” so fairly appropriate.
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