Page 206 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

SKUAS, GULLS,AND TERNS
Order Charadriiformes Family Stercorariidae Species Stercorarius parasiticus
Arctic Skua dark cap bluish bill with
black tip
grey-brown
or yellowish
breast-band
white flash brown back
ADULT
(PALE FORM)

small white
patch on
outer wings whitish
blue-grey legs with underside
blackish toes
sharp central ADULT
spike to tail (DARK FORM)
(shorter on
juvenile)
IN FLIGHT
ADULT
plain dark tail coverts (PALE FORM)
(barred above and
below on juvenile) dark brown body
(juvenile more
rufous)
ADULT
xcept for some (DARK FORM) FLIGHT: direct flight easy, light, somewhat erratic;
Elate-autumn long, twisting, persistent close-range pursuit.
influxes of Pomarines, ELEGANCE IN THE AIR
this is generally the most The long-winged, slender Arctic
common skua in Europe. Learning the variety Skua, with its central tail spike, is
in this species will help identification of the rarer one of the most beautifully
skuas. On its breeding grounds, it is a magnificent, shaped seabirds in flight.
dynamic bird, with fast, swooping, high display
flights; it also attacks human intruders with great
courage.At sea, it is a pirate, chasing other seabirds
in order to make them disgorge fish. Its swift,
dogged, and acrobatic pursuit of terns and small
gulls, often in pairs, is always exciting to watch.
VOICE In summer, loud, nasal, wailing ahh-yeow, eee-air, ka-wow etc; silent at sea.
NESTING Hollow on ground in moss or heather; 2 eggs; 1 brood; May-June.
FEEDING Robs terns and gulls of fish; also catches fish, small birds, and voles, and
eats some berries and insects.
OCCURRENCE
SIMILAR SPECIES Breeds on northern moors and
islands from Scotland north into
POMARINE SKUA COMMON GULL immature, Arctic. Spring and autumn
see p.203 similar to pale form;
white rump; see p.207 migrants appear off most
blunt dark more European coasts, especially North
tail tail- upperwing Sea and Atlantic; usually most
band contrast
common skua in early autumn.
Rare inland after storms.
more HERRING GULL immature,
dark tail- upperwing similar to dark form; Seen in the UK
band contrast white rump; see p.209 J F M A M JJ A S O N D
Length 37–44cm (14 1 ⁄2 –17 1 ⁄2in) Wingspan 0.97–1.15m (3 1 ⁄4 –3 3 ⁄4ft) Weight 380–600g (13–21oz)
Social Small flocks Lifespan 10–15 years Status Secure†
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