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RAINBIRDER | profile | all galleries >> SCOTTISH BIRDS >> Seabirds >> Skuas (Jaegers) tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Skuas (Jaegers)

Four species of Skua are found in Scottish waters with the Arctic Skua & the Great Skua (Bonxie) being breeding species, whilst Long-tailed & Pomarine Skuas are passage migrants heading to & from their Fennoscandian & Siberian breeding grounds.
Skuas are renowned for their piratical behaviour tenaciously chasing other seabirds until they disgorge their fish catch. However the Bonxie is also a powerful predator which often kills & consumes other seabirds. Around 60% of the world's population of Bonxie breed in Scotland (mainly Shetland) where their reputation for aggressively defending their nests is renowned, perhaps this should be our national bird!
Bonxie (Stercorarius skua)
:: Bonxie (Stercorarius skua) ::
Arctic Skua(Stercorarius parasiticus)
:: Arctic Skua(Stercorarius parasiticus) ::