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==Identification== | ==Identification== | ||
− | Length 57-59cm. Overall dark brown with distinct white bases of primaries (visible only in flight). | + | Length 57-59cm. Overall dark brown with distinct white bases of primaries (visible only in flight). Cap is darker than its body. Cream-coloured streaks on nape, neck and mantle. Black, hooked bill. |
==Distribution== | ==Distribution== | ||
− | + | Breeds in Scandinavia, Scotland and Iceland, winters in Western Africa and Spain. Also seen in North America. | |
[[Image:Great_Skua.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo by {{user|jenygard|jenygard}} <br />[[Norway]] ]] | [[Image:Great_Skua.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo by {{user|jenygard|jenygard}} <br />[[Norway]] ]] | ||
Quite common on the Shetland Islands. | Quite common on the Shetland Islands. |
Revision as of 08:51, 27 January 2012
- Stercorarius skua
Identification
Length 57-59cm. Overall dark brown with distinct white bases of primaries (visible only in flight). Cap is darker than its body. Cream-coloured streaks on nape, neck and mantle. Black, hooked bill.
Distribution
Breeds in Scandinavia, Scotland and Iceland, winters in Western Africa and Spain. Also seen in North America.
Quite common on the Shetland Islands.
Taxonomy
Monotypic. Has been placed in the genus Catharacta with the other large skuas (Sibley & Monroe, 1993; Clements, 2000).
Habitat
Open ocean near coastlines. Quite common on the Shetland Islands, living on moorland,and hill tops. There are 400 breeding pairs on the Island of Noss, and this is one of the biggest populations in the world today.
Behaviour
A scavenger who is not above stealing food from other seabirds. They are very protective of their nests and young, and they will attack at any opportunity, but, they will push rather than attack with their sharp claws or very sharp beaks. They nest in what is known as 'Scrapes' in the ground, obviously to give protection to their young.