Arctic Skua

Stercorarius parasiticus

© 2025
Share   
0 recent observations

Brief #

A medium-sized dark-looking seabird with pointed wings with pale tips.

Synonyms #

  • Págalo parásito (Spanish)
  • Palleira parasita (Galician)

Red List Status #

The Arctic Skua is unlikely to become extinct in the near future.
Find out more about IUCN's Red List program here

Description #

A medium-sized dark-looking seabird with pointed wings which are pale at the tips. Identification is complicated by similarities to long-tailed jaeger and pomarine jaeger, and the existence of three colour morphs. Light-morph adults have a brown back, mainly white underparts and dark primary wing feathers with a white "flash". The head and neck are yellowish-white with a black cap and there is a pointed central tail projection. Dark-morph adults are dark brown, and intermediate-phase birds are dark with somewhat paler underparts, head and neck. All morphs have the white wing flash. Identification of juveniles is even more problematic.

Measurements #

Length: 41 - 46 cm
Wingspan: 1.1 - 1.25 m
Weight: 330 - 570 g

Similar species #