Parasitic Jaeger

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Stercorarius parasiticus

Photo by IanF
Photographed at Cleveland, UK

Identification

Also known as Arctic or Parasitic Skua

41 cm length. Light phase adults brown back, mainly white underparts and dark primary wing feathers with a white "flash". The head and neck yellow-white, black cap and pointed central tail projection. Dark phase adults dark brown, and intermediate phase birds are dark with paler underparts, head and neck. All phases have the white wing flash.

Distribution

Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Scandinavia, and northern Russia.

Habitat

Dry tundra, higher fells and islands.

Behaviour

Up to four olive-brown eggs are laid.

Diet includes lemmings and other rodents

Jizz and behaviour-based ID tips

Vocalisation

<flashmp3>Stercorarius parasiticus (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program

External Links

Search for photos of Parasitic Jaeger in the gallery

• View more images of this species on the ABID
• View more images of this species on Orientalbirdimages