Parasitic jaeger / Schmarotzerraubmöwe (Stercorarius parasiticus)

Wikipedia eBird Vogelwarte BirdLife ZH ornitho.ch Audubon AllAboutBirds Xeno-Canto BirdID NABU

Our guide raises his arm, which results in the Arctic Skua keeping a safe distance. 2015-06-10 15.13.04 Iceland
Classification: Genus Stercorarius; Family Stercorariidae
This bird appears across the great seas in the following continents: Europe, North America, South America, Africa, Asia.
General: The parasitic jaeger (Stercorarius parasiticus), also known as the Arctic skua, Arctic jaeger or parasitic skua, is a seabird in the skua family Stercorariidae. The word "jaeger" is derived from the German word Jäger, meaning "hunter".[2] The English "skua" comes from the Faroese name skúgvur [ˈskɪkvʊər] for the great skua, with the island of Skúvoy known for its colony of that bird. The general Faroese term for skuas is kjógvi [ˈtʃɛkvə].[3] The genus name Stercorarius is Latin and means "of dung"; the food disgorged by other birds when pursued by skuas was once thought to be excrement. The specific parasiticus is from Latin and means "parasitic".[4] [more]
Vocalization: Mostly heard at breeding ground. [Link]
Calls: Most characteristic call is a mewing, kittiwake-like "aeeeee-ah". First syllable drawn-out and rising in pitch, and followed by a deeper conclusive second syllable "ah". Lacks the introductory double accent of Kittiwakes ("kitti-wake"). [Link]
Physical details: length=41-46 cm, wingspan=110-125 cm, weight=330-570 g

First documented observation : 2015-06-10 in Iceland.

Media


Arctic Skua, defending its nest. 2015-06-10 14.32.52 Iceland

Arctic Skua, Ingólfshöfði Nature Reserve. 2015-06-10 14.25.36 Iceland