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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

PIRR, n.¹ Also pirre, pir-, purre, per-, pyr-.

1. The common tern, Sterna hirundo (Uls. 1880 Patterson Gl., purre, 1885 C. Swainson Brit. Birds 202; Arg. 1930, purre). Comb. pirr-egg, the egg of a tern (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallow. Encycl. 469); purre-maw, the roseate tern, Sterna dougalli (Uls. 1744 C. Smith County Down 131, pyr-, 1885 C. Swainson Brit. Birds 203).wm.Sc. 1818 D. Gemmill Topogr. Clyde 63:
The Pirr or Turn annually builds here.Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 383:
Pirr. . . is also a sea-fowl with a long tail and black head, . . . whenever it sees any small fish or fry, [it] dives down . . . on them, crying “pirr!”Sc. 1875 D. Landsborough Arran 401:
The numerous Cumbrae pirres . . . have been destroyed or driven away.

2. The black-headed gull, Larus ridibundus (Uls. 1880 Patterson Gl.). Combs. pirr-gull (Kcb. 1966), id.; pir(r)-maw, perma (Uls. 1907 Northern Whig (30 Nov.); Ayr., Wgt. 1966), id.Fif. 1801 Edb. Weekly Jnl. (2 Dec.) 382:
Pirmaws, or small sea fowl, are in abundance, off Aberdour, and the sands between Burntisland and Pettycur.Wgt. 1926 Trans. Dmf. & Gall. Antiq. Soc. 48:
The Black-Headed or “Pir Ma” of Wigtownshire is also very destructive to a spawning bed.