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Greg Gillson | profile | all galleries >> Bird Photos >> Photo Checklist of Oregon Birds >> Skuas and Jaegers >> Long-tailed Jaeger tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Long-tailed Jaeger

Long-tailed Jaeger
Long-tailed Jaeger		 Long-tailed Jaeger
Long-tailed Jaeger		 Long-tailed Jaeger
Long-tailed Jaeger		 Long-tailed Jaeger
Long-tailed Jaeger
Long-tailed Jaeger
Long-tailed Jaeger		 Long-tailed Jaeger
Long-tailed Jaeger		 Long-tailed Jaeger
Long-tailed Jaeger		 Long-tailed Jaeger
Long-tailed Jaeger

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Greg Gillson14-Oct-2012 16:02
Wow, Floyd, it is so much easier to identify adults in breeding plumage as you do in Alaska! Jaeger ID is very challenging--especially the immatures which take about 3 years to show adult characteristics. Even winter birds are hard when they molt their diagnostic longer central tail feathers. Bulk and width of wings give a first impression. Pomarine Jaegers are big chested and have wider wings; Long-tailed are dainty and tern-like with narrow wings; Parasitic are in the middle with pot-bellies. Long-taileds upper wing are gray with dark trailing flight feathers. The number of white shaft streaks in the primary is a good clue (usually only 3 in Long tailed, up to 6 or more in Pomarine. Some go away unidentified, especially juveniles in the fall at any distance. I've seen seabird experts misidentify obvious birds--or maybe it was me misidentifying them!
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