Stercorarius parasiticus
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.
Length
41cm to 46cm
Wingspan
110cm to 125cm
Weight
300g to 600g
Males and females have similar plumage
Primary Colour
Brown Grey White
Secondary Colour
Black
Beak Colour
Black
Leg Colour
Black
Woodland
Garden
Wetland
Coastal
Urban
Farmland
Grassland
Desert
Tundra
Rainforest
Mountain
Savanna
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.
Sea level to 700 meters
Arctic, Subarctic, Temperate
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:
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