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10

Great Skua

(Stercorarius skua)
German name(s): "Große Raubmöwe"
Size: 50-58 cm; wing span 1.25-1.40 m
Weight: 1.2-1.5 kg

Similar
species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See Great Skua at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

ADULT

Sex unknown

Near-frontal view of a moulting Great Skua; note the heavy bill with dark tip (photo courtesy of G. Pinelas)
[Port of Sesimbra, Setubal, Portugal, January 2019]

Near-lateral view of a moulting Great Skua; note the pale markings on the wing feathers (photo courtesy of G. Pinelas)
[Port of Sesimbra, Setubal, Portugal, January 2019]

Lateral view of a moulting Great Skua (photo courtesy of G. Pinelas)
[Port of Sesimbra, Setubal, Portugal, January 2019]

Near-frontal view of a Great Skua in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Off Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2020]

Lateral view of a Great Skua in flight, wings up (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Off Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2018]

Lateral view of a Great Skua's wing flashes from above (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Off Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2020]

Near-dorsal view of a Great Skua in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Off Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2020]

Near-dorsal view of a Great Skua in flight, wings up (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Off Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a Great Skua in flight, wings down (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Off Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2019]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of a Great Skua in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Off Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2020]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of a moulting Great Skua in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Off Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2019]

Dorsal view of a Great Skua in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Off Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2020]

Distant comparison of Great Skuas in flight with a Northern Gannet (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Port of Sesimbra, Setubal, Portugal, March 2019]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Near-dorsal view of a juvenile Great Skua in flight, wings up (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Off Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a juvenile Great Skua in flight, wings flat (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Off Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a juvenile Great Skua in flight, wings down (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Off Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2019]

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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