Skuas · Shorebirds
Great Skua
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Stercorarius skua
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About the species
Adults are streaked grey-brown with a black cap, and the warm brown young look plainer below. The dark tail is short and blunt, while the white flashes in the wings show clearly when it passes overhead.
Great skuas keep moving and use a deep, harsh "hah-hah-hah-hah" call, with quacking and croaking also reported. They fly strongly and often rob gulls, terns, and gannets of fish, but they also take seabirds outright and defend the nest by diving at intruders.
They breed on coastal moorland and rocky islands in Iceland, Norway, the Faroe Islands, and Scottish islands. Much of the time they take fish from the sea surface or from other seabirds, and in winter they move out to sea in the Atlantic.
Where to find
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Along waterfront breakwaters and harbor edges — especially where gulls are being harried and a heavy brown-gray shape with a black cap keeps the chase going.
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Near fish docks and port warehouses — watch for low, powerful flight and harsh croaking calls over the water.
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On exposed coasts after a storm — scanning the surf line for carrion and scraps of fish, often landing on wet rocks.
You might also see
Sources
- eBird — Stercorarius skua Sightings map and full description on eBird
- Wikipedia — Great skua Encyclopedia article