Arctic Jaeger

Stercorarius parasiticus

Least Concern
The Arctic Skua, or Parasitic Jaeger as it is also known, is an agile seabird with a dishonourable means of finding food.

Visual Identification

Appearance

The Arctic Jaeger is a medium-sized seabird with a streamlined body and pointed wings. It exhibits two colour morphs: light and dark. Light morphs have white underparts and dark grey-brown upperparts, while dark morphs are uniformly dark brown.

Both morphs feature distinctive white patches on the wings and elongated central tail feathers.

Both sexes have the same plumage, although females are typically 15 to 20 percent larger than males. Juveniles lack the long tail streamers and have more mottled plumage.

Size

Length

41cm to 46cm

Wingspan

110cm to 125cm

Weight

300g to 600g

Colours

Males and females have similar plumage

Primary Colour

Brown Grey White

Secondary Colour

Black

Beak Colour

Black

Leg Colour

Black

Habitat and Distribution

Habitats

Woodland

The Arctic Jaeger is not typically found in Woodland habitats.

Garden

The Arctic Jaeger is not typically found in Garden habitats.

Wetland

The Arctic Jaeger is not typically found in Wetland habitats.

Coastal

The Arctic Jaeger can be found in Coastal habitats.

Urban

The Arctic Jaeger is not typically found in Urban habitats.

Farmland

The Arctic Jaeger is not typically found in Farmland habitats.

Grassland

The Arctic Jaeger is not typically found in Grassland habitats.

Desert

The Arctic Jaeger is not typically found in Desert habitats.

Tundra

The Arctic Jaeger can be found in Tundra habitats.

Rainforest

The Arctic Jaeger is not typically found in Rainforest habitats.

Mountain

The Arctic Jaeger is not typically found in Mountain habitats.

Savanna

The Arctic Jaeger is not typically found in Savanna habitats.

Distribution

Arctic Jaegers breed in the Arctic tundra across northern Eurasia and North America. They prefer coastal areas and islands with low vegetation for nesting. During winter, they migrate to southern oceans, ranging widely across temperate and tropical seas.

In the UK, they can be observed breeding in northern Scotland and the Northern Isles. Outside the breeding season, they may be spotted along coastlines during migration.

Elevation Range

Sea level to 700 meters

Climate zones

Arctic, Subarctic, Temperate

Distribution Map

This map gives you a rough idea of where you might spot a Arctic Jaeger. The coloured areas show countries where these birds have been seen.

A few things to keep in mind:

  • Birds might not be everywhere in the coloured areas, for example, they may be present around the coast of that country
  • Where birds live can change with seasons and available food
  • This map is quite simple - it doesn't show exact locations

We're working on making our maps even better! Soon, we hope to show you:

  • More detailed maps for bigger countries, including state and region
  • How birds move around during different seasons
© 2024 - Birdfact
Resident
Breeding
Non-breeding
Passage
Vagrant

Distribution by Region

Species that can be found in the area throughout the year
Algeria Angola Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Aruba Australia Azerbaijan Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belgium Belize Bermuda Brazil Canada Cape Verde Cayman Islands Chile Colombia Côte D'Ivoire Cuba Czech Republic Democratic Republic of the Congo Dominica Ecuador Egypt Eritrea Falkland Islands Finland France French Guiana Gabon Gambia Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Honduras Hungary India Indonesia Iran Ireland Israel Japan Kuwait Liberia Malaysia Martinique Mauritania Mexico Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Namibia New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Oman Pakistan Panama Papua New Guinea Peru Puerto Rico Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Saudi Arabia Senegal Singapore Slovakia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands South Korea Spain Sri Lanka Sweden Switzerland Taiwan Thailand The Bahamas The United Kingdom Togo Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turks and Caicos United Arab Emirates Venezuela
Species that are present in the area during their breeding season
Faroe Islands Greenland Iceland Norway Russia Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands United States of America
Species that are present in the area outside their breeding season
British Virgin Islands Bulgaria Costa Rica Dominican Republic Gibraltar Guadeloupe Italy Micronesia Netherlands Portugal Romania Turkey Uruguay US Virgin Islands
Species that pass through the area during migration
Austria Curaçao Cyprus Denmark Germany Greece Iraq Jordan Palestine Poland Saint Pierre and Miquelon Turkmenistan Yemen
Species that appear infrequently (rare) and unpredictably outside their normal range
Belarus Bosnia and Herzegovina Cameroon Christmas Island Croatia Democratic Republic of the Congo East Timor (Timor-Leste) Ethiopia Fiji Georgia Ghana Grenada Jamaica Kazakhstan Kenya Kyrgyzstan Latvia Lebanon Libya Luxembourg Malta Montenegro Nigeria Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Slovenia Sudan Tanzania

Behaviour and Ecology

Bird Attributes

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Bird Attributes Explained

Our bird attributes system rates various aspects of a bird's capabilities on a scale of 0-100, based on data from field observations, scientific studies, and expert knowledge.

Attribute Categories:
  • Agility: Manoeuvrability, speed, and grace in flight or movement.
  • Strength: Physical power, often correlating with size and hunting abilities.
  • Adaptability: Ability to thrive in various environments or changing conditions.
  • Aggressiveness: Territorial behaviour and assertiveness, particularly during breeding seasons.
  • Endurance: Stamina, often seen in migration patterns or foraging behaviours.

Understanding the Ratings:

  • 0-20: Very Low
  • 21-40: Low
  • 41-60: Average
  • 61-80: High
  • 81-100: Very High

Remember, these attributes are relative to other bird species and don't necessarily indicate superiority.

Tap the icon next to each attribute for more information.

Agility 95

Agility

Reflects the bird's manoeuvrability, speed, and grace in flight or movement.

The Arctic Jaeger demonstrates exceptional agility, performing acrobatic aerial pursuits and intricate flight manoeuvres. Their ability to chase and outmanoeuvre other seabirds in flight, reaching speeds of up to 60 km/h, showcases their remarkable aerial prowess.

Strength 70

Strength

Indicates the bird's physical power, often correlating with size and hunting abilities.

While not the strongest seabird, Arctic Jaegers possess considerable strength for their size. Their ability to harass and steal food from other birds, even larger species, indicates a good level of physical power. Their streamlined bodies and pointed wings contribute to their strength in flight.

Adaptability 85

Adaptability

Represents the bird's ability to thrive in various environments or changing conditions.

Arctic Jaegers exhibit high adaptability, thriving in diverse environments from Arctic tundra to tropical seas. Their ability to switch between kleptoparasitic feeding and direct hunting, as well as their capacity to nest in various coastal habitats, demonstrates their adaptable nature.

Aggressiveness 90

Aggressiveness

Measures the bird's territorial behaviour and assertiveness, particularly during breeding seasons.

These birds are notably aggressive, particularly in their feeding strategy and territorial defence. Their kleptoparasitic behaviour, fierce defence of breeding territories, and willingness to dive-bomb intruders (including humans) all point to a high level of aggression.

Endurance 88

Endurance

Reflects the bird's stamina, often seen in migration patterns or foraging behaviours.

Arctic Jaegers display impressive endurance, undertaking long-distance migrations of over 14,000 km (8,700 miles) annually. Their ability to range widely across oceans and maintain high-energy pursuits of other birds for food indicates substantial stamina and resilience.

Diet

Arctic Jaegers primarily feed on fish, often stolen from other seabirds. They also hunt small birds, rodents, and insects during the breeding season. Their diet is supplemented with berries and other plant matter when available in their Arctic breeding grounds.

They are infamous for stealing food (kleptoparasitism) from other birds, harassing species like gulls in the air until they regurgitate their last meal, which the nimble Jaeger snatches mid-air or from the water below.

Behaviour

Arctic Jaegers are known for their aggressive kleptoparasitic behaviour. They often chase other seabirds to steal their food. They are highly manoeuvrable in flight and perform acrobatic aerial pursuits.

During the breeding season, they fiercely defend their territories, dive-bombing intruders, including humans.

Vocalisation

Arctic Jaegers have a variety of calls, including a sharp, repeated 'kee-ow' during territorial displays. When pursuing other birds, they emit a rapid series of 'kip-kip-kip' sounds. During courtship, pairs produce soft mewing calls. They are usually silent away from their breeding grounds.

Nesting & Breeding

Arctic Jaegers form monogamous pairs and breed during the short Arctic summer. They typically arrive at breeding grounds in May or June. Courtship involves aerial displays and ground ceremonies.

Nests are simple scrapes on the ground, often on slightly elevated areas. Females lay 1-2 olive-green eggs with dark spots. Both parents share incubation duties.

The incubation period lasts about 25-28 days. Chicks fledge after 25-30 days but remain dependent on parents for several more weeks.

Conservation and Status

Global Conservation Status

Least Concern [1]

While currently listed as Least Concern, Arctic Jaegers face threats from climate change affecting their Arctic breeding grounds. Ocean pollution and overfishing can impact their food sources.

Conservation efforts focus on protecting breeding habitats and maintaining healthy marine ecosystems.

Population Data

Global Population Estimate

400,000 - 560,000 mature individuals [2]

Global Population Trend

[3]

Trend data may be uncertain or fluctuating

Birdwatching Tips

  • Look for Arctic Jaegers along coastlines during migration periods
  • Observe their distinctive flight pattern with rapid wingbeats and glides
  • Watch for their kleptoparasitic behaviour as they chase other seabirds
  • In the UK, visit northern Scotland or the Shetland Islands during summer for breeding populations

Additional Information

Quick Facts

Other names:

Parasitic Jaeger, Arctic Skua

Family:

Stercorariidae

Average Lifespan

12 years

Max Lifespan

33 years

Predators

Adult Arctic Jaegers have few natural predators, but eggs and chicks are vulnerable to Arctic foxes, large gulls, and occasionally snowy owls.

Did You Know?

  1. Arctic Jaegers can fly at speeds of up to 60 km/h when chasing other birds.
  2. They can travel over 14,000 km (8,700 miles) during their annual migration.
  3. Their scientific name, 'parasiticus', refers to their kleptoparasitic feeding behaviour.

FAQs

Is a Parasitic Jaeger a primary or secondary consumer?

Parasitic Jaegers are tertiary consumers on the food chain. These birds eat some plant material, some animals that eat plants, and some animals that eat other animals.

References

  1. 1 2 3

    website: BirdLife International. 2018. Stercorarius parasiticus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018: e.T22694245A132535550.

    View source