gooney bird

American  

[goo-nee burd] / ˈgu ni ˌbɜrd /

Or goony bird

noun

1. any of several albatrosses, especially the black-footed albatross and the Laysan albatross, occurring on islands in the Pacific Ocean, often near naval bases.

2. Slang. a foolish or awkward person or thing; goon.

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gooney bird British  

/ ˈɡuːnɪ /

noun

1. an informal name for the albatross, esp the black-footed albatross ( Diomedea nigripes )

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Etymology

Origin of gooney bird

First recorded in 1940–45; see origin at goon