Parasitic Jaeger
Stercorarius parasiticus
Also known as: Arctic Skua, Arctic Jaeger, Parasitic Skua, Artic Skua
Habitat
Ground
Diet
VertFishScav
Active Time
Diurnal
Size
444 g
About This Species
Best watched along coastlines and headlands during migration, where it harries terns and gulls in acrobatic aerial chases to steal their catch; breeding birds favour open tundra and moorland in the high Arctic in summer. Coastal seawatching points in spring and autumn, especially in windy conditions that push birds close to shore, offer the most reliable views.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- On breeding tundra it nests on open ground and will dive at intruders, so keep well back from any nest scrape and leave immediately if adults become agitated, since disturbance can expose eggs or chicks to predators and cold.
- Along migration coasts, viewing from a distance with a scope avoids flushing roosting or feeding birds, and most range states protect nesting seabirds under general wildlife legislation.
LCAvesCharadriiformesStercorariidae
Seasonal Activity
452,531 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Family
- Stercorariidae
Traits
- Diet
- VertFishScav
- Foraging
- Ground
- Activity
- Diurnal
- Body mass
- 444 g
Photo
Wikimedia Commons / Wikimedia Commons
CC-BY-SA-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.