Skua, Arctic

Conservation status:

Winter Visitor

Description:

Wing-span as for Common Gull. Adult in summer has elongated pointed central tail-feathers (6–11 cm). Two phases (with frequent intermediates); see Pomarine for separation. Juvenile variable, from pale to very dark birds; ground-colour generally warmer, more rusty than young Pomarine, which see for further details. Told, with experience, from young Long-tailed by broader wings, slightly shorter tail (equals width of wing-base), shorter and pointed central tail-feathers (longer, blunt-ended in Long-tailed), thicker rear-body, less black on bill-tip and warmer brownish groundcolour (colder, greyer in Long-tailed, which see for further details). Normal flight steady, falcon-like, straight and fast; piratical attacks with sudden twists and turns, most successfully on birds the size of Sandwich Tern/Common Gull.