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Arctic Skua Stercorarius parasiticus [Linnaeus, 1758]
Other Names
Trends & Distribution
Breeding & Survival
Biometrics
Books & Links
Order:
Charadriiformes
Family:
Stercorariidae
BTO Codes:
AC , ARCSK
EURING No:
5670
Number in Britain:
2100 pairs (Summer)
Conservation Status:
UK:
GREEN
European:
Not a species of concern
Global:
Least Concern
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IBC
Status in UK:
(A) Migrant Breeder, Passage Visitor
Subspecies:
Monotypic
.
Length:
44 cm
Wingspan:
118 cm
Weight:
M/F: 450 g
Scientific name from:
L.: stercus =dung + -arius =belonging to
and L.: parasiticus =parasitic
World Distribution:
BREEDS: n Eurasia, n North America, WINTERS: southern oceans
Habitat:
Coastal tundra, in winter seacoasts
Diet:
Summer, mostly birds, small mammals, insects, Winter, fish, mostly by piracy from other birds
TitBit:
The Arctic Skua is an avian pirate, constantly harassing other seabirds for their recent catches, their consumate aerial dexterity inspired the name for the RAF's first naval dive-bomber, the Blackburn Skua
Population and Distribution
Population Trend:
No population trend available
Distribution:
New Atlas )
British Population Size:
Summer:
2136 pairs
in 1998-02
First Record:
1713
Latest Survey:
Mitchell, P.I. et al. (2004) Seabird populations of Britain and Ireland Poyser, London
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
No habitat data from BBS
European Population Size:
Summer:
20 to 40 thousand pairs
Birds in Europe
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of:
Bern(III)
Survey Results:
Breeding and Survival
Egg Size:
58 x 40 mm
Egg Weight:
48.0 g (of which 6 % is shell)
Number of Nest Records:
6
Clutch Size:
2 eggs
Incubation:
25 - 28 days
by the:
Male + Female
Fledging:
25 - 30 days
as:
Altricial, downy
First Clutches Laid:
Unavailable
Number of Broods:
1
Number Ringed:
383
Adult Survival:
No data
Juvenile Survival:
No data
Age at First Breeding:
4
years
Typical Lifespan:
No data
Maximum Recorded Age:
25yr10m
(Finland: 31yr 1m)
Biometrics
Ring Size:
E
Wing Length
Adult:
328.9 ± 8.3
Range
314 - 343 mm, N =35
Juvenile:
Insufficient Data.
Male:
Insufficient Data
Female:
Insufficient Data
Weight
Adult:
416.4 ± 37.93
Range
360.0 - 476.0 g , N =36
Juvenile:
Insufficient Data.
Male:
Insufficient Data
Female:
Insufficient Data
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Ringing Scheme data
Other Names
Parasitic Jaeger
Gaelic:
Fàsgadair
Welsh:
Sgiwen y Gogledd
Danish:
Almindelig kjove
Dutch:
Kleine Jager
Finnish:
Merikihu
French:
Labbe parasite
German:
Schmarotzerraubmöwe
Hungarian:
Ékfarkú halfarkas
Icelandic:
Kjói
Irish:
Meirleach Artach
Italian:
Labbo
Norwegian:
Tyvjo
Polish:
Wydrzyk ostrosterny
Portuguese:
Moleiro-parasítico
Spanish:
Págalo parásito
Swedish:
Labb
Local Names: Scootie Allan
For More Information...
Books and Monographs:
Phillips, R.A. 2001 BWP Update 3:25-41
Furness, R.W. 1987 The skuas Poyser, Calton
[598.614 FUR]
O'Donald, P. 1983 The arctic skua Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
See Also:
Gough, G.A. et al. (1998) Patuxent Bird Identification Infocenter
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