Parasitic Jaeger

Stercorarius parasiticusOrder: CHARADRIIFORMES Family: Skuas, Gulls, Terns, Skimmers (Laridae)

Codes: Common Name: PAJA Scientific Name: STEPAS ITIS Taxonomic No.: 176793

Parasitic Jaeger: The dark Parasitic Jaeger has a brown body, dark brown cap, and pale underwing patches near the tips. The diamond-shaped tail has elongated, pointed central feathers.

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Overview

Parasitic Jaeger Dark Morph: Medium jaeger with brown body, darker cap, and pale underwing patches near tips. Pale form has white underparts with brown breast band; intermediates between dark and light morphs occur. Diamond-shaped tail has elongated, pointed central feathers. Black bill, legs, feet.

Range and Habitat

Parasitic Jaeger Dark Morph: Breeds on coasts of Alaska, as well as coastal and inland tundra regions of northern Canada; also found in Greenland, Iceland, Scandinavia, and northern Russia. Spends winters on tropical oceans of the southern hemisphere.

Topo Map: Gull-like Body

Listen to Call

Voice Text

"skooo-a", "ka-aaow"

Interesting Facts

The Parasitic Jaeger takes its name from the two main strategies it uses to acquire food. The first word of the name refers to this species’ habit of pursuing gulls and terns and forcing them to drop their food.

The second word comes from the German word for hunter, alluding to the fact that this bird will at times find its own food by preying on small birds, eggs and even small mammals.

Breeding pairs defend large territories where they often cooperate in hunting birds, eggs, and rodents.

A group of skuas are collectively known as a "shishkab" of skuas.

Bird Term Glossary

Author

Gary Owen Dick

Artist

Yury Lisyak

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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.

Parasitic Jaeger

● Song: "skooo-a", "ka-aaow"

● Foraging & Feeding: Parasitic Jaeger Dark Morph: Eats small and medium-sized birds, bird eggs, insects, fish, rodents, and carrion. Hunts cooperatively, with one chasing a bird near the ground while another flies above to intercept dodges; also, one distracts incubating parent while the other makes off with an egg. Sometimes harasses other birds, forcing them to release small fish or other food held in their bills or crops.

● Breeding & nesting: Parasitic Jaeger Dark Morph: Two brown to green or blue eggs with brown spots are laid in a shallow ground depression lined with plant material. Incubation ranges from 25 to 28 days and is carried out by both parents.

● Similar species: Parasitic Jaeger Dark Morph: Long-tailed Jaeger is pale gray above and lacks breast band. Pomarine Jaeger is larger and bulkier with rounded central tail feathers.

Flight Pattern

Alternates several deep flaps with glides., Fast wing beats.

● Range & Habitat: Parasitic Jaeger Dark Morph: Breeds on coasts of Alaska, as well as coastal and inland tundra regions of northern Canada; also found in Greenland, Iceland, Scandinavia, and northern Russia. Spends winters on tropical oceans of the southern hemisphere.

^BreedingMonogamous, Colonial

^PopulationFairly common, Stable

^MigrationMigratory

^Weight14.9 Ounces

Gull-like Body

Underparts

Belly, undertail coverts, chest, flanks, and foreneck.

Breast

The upper front part of a bird.

Cap

The area on top of the head of the bird.

4 and 6 letter alpha codes

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

Field Guide to Birds of North America