Overview

South Polar Skua Dark: This small, gull-like skua occurs in two color phases. Dark phase adult has a dark brown body with a large white patch at base of primaries visible in flight. Dark bill, thick and heavy; short, broad tail. Light phase adult has pale gray-brown head and underparts. Feeds on fish, krill and squid. Strong direct flight with shallow wing beats. Sexes are similar.

South Polar Skua: This species nests in Antarctica in sheltered areas adjacent to penguin colonies. It is highly migratory, travelling to offshore Pacific and Atlantic coasts of North America north to subarctic British Columbia and Newfoundland, sometimes straying to the southern coast of Alaska. This species is pelagic, coming ashore only to breed.

Voice Text

"Scoo-ah"

• Until recently, all the skuas of the world were thought to be a single species, but now some experts believe there may be as many as five species. On some southern islands, two forms nest side by side without interbreeding, proving that they are different species.
• A group of skuas are collectively known as a "shishkab" of skuas.
• During the summer they stake territories near Adelie penguin rookeries, raiding them for eggs, chicks, and also cleaning up carrion. Thus, they have earned the nickname, "raptor of the south".
• The South Polar Skua is named after the naval surgeon Robert McCormick, who collected the first specimen. They were formerly known as the McCormick's Skua. They are recognized as the world's most southerly bird and have been sighted at the South Pole.

• Long-tailed Jaeger
• Parasitic Jaeger
• Pomarine Jaeger
• Great Black-backed Gull
• Great Skua

Skuas and Jaegers (Stercorariidae)

ORDER

The sandpipers, plovers, buttonquail, auks, and skuas, and oystercatchers are some of the nineteen families in the taxonomic order CHARADRIIFORMES (pronounced kah-RAH-dree-ih-FOR-meez).

FAMILY TAXONOMY

The Stercorariidae (pronounced stehr-koh-rah-REYE-ih-dee), or skuas and jaegers, encompasses seven species of skuas and jaegers in one genus that can be found in all of the world’s oceans.

NORTH AMERICA

In North America, five species of skuas and jaegers in one genus have been identified. Among these are included the graceful Long-tailed Jaeger and the hefty Great Skua.

KNOWN FOR

Members of this family are known for their predatory and piratical behavior. Like other skuas and jaegers, the Parasitic Jaeger is known for expertly chasing and harassing gulls and terns until they drop their food.

PHYSICAL

The skuas and jaegers look like a cross between a gull and a falcon. They are large birds with long, pointed wings (broader in skuas), have thick necks with fairly large heads, webbed feet, and medium-length bills with a hook on the end. They also have distinctive tails with projecting central tail feathers.

COLORATION

Skuas are mostly brown, streaked birds, some species with gray or rusty highlights in their plumage. Juvenile jaegers have plumages similar to those of skuas, while adults are creamy or white on the underparts, the Parasitic and Pomarine Jaegers sporting black breast bands. On the upperparts, adult jaegers are dark brown with black caps. Most plumages of jaegers and skuas also show prominent white patches in the wings at the bases of the primaries.

GEOGRAPHIC HABITAT

Jaegers and Skuas are bird of the Arctic, Antarctic, and the open ocean. They breed on the tundra and rocky islands of the far north, and spend the rest of the year in pelagic waters off of both North American coasts, rarely occurring near land.

MIGRATION

All members of this family are highly migratory.

HABITS

Skuas and jaegers are solitary predators of the high seas except when they form pairs during the breeding season and hunt for small mammals, birds (especially nestlings), and insects on the tundra. Outside of the breeding season, they occur on the open ocean where they pursue gulls, terns, and other seabirds to steal fish these smaller birds have caught. They also prey upon other birds, the skuas even attacking and killing gulls.

CONSERVATION

Skuas and jaegers are not threatened in North America and appear to have healthy populations throughout their range.

INTERESTING FACTS

Jaegers get their name from the Germanic word for “hunter”; an appropriate name for these aggressive, predatory birds. In Great Britain, though, the word “jaeger” is not used with all members of this family being called skuas.

Author

Artist

Yury Lisyak