A photo of a Great Skua (Stercorarius skua)
Great Skua

Great Skua

Stercorarius skua

The great skua (Stercorarius skua), sometimes known by the name bonxie in Britain, is a large seabird in the skua family Stercorariidae. It is roughly the size of a herring gull. It mainly eats fish caught at the sea surface or taken from other birds. Adults are a streaked greyish brown, with a black cap, while juveniles are a warmer brown and unstreaked below. They have a short, blunt tail, and a powerful flight. The great skua's call is a harsh hah-hah-hah-hah; quacking and croaking noises have also been heard. Distinguishing this skua from the other North Atlantic skuas (parasitic jaeger, pomarine jaeger and long-tailed jaeger) is relatively straightforward. The herring gull size, massive barrel chest and white wing flashes of this bird are distinctive even at a distance. It is sometimes said to give the impression of a common buzzard. Identification of this skua is only complicated when it is necessary to distinguish it from the closely related large southern-hemisphere skuas. Despite its name, the great skua is marginally smaller on average than the other 3 large southern-hemisphere skuas, although not by enough to distinguish them by size in the field. Some authorities still regard the great skua as conspecific with some of these southern skuas, and as a group they have sometimes been separated in the genus Catharacta, although currently this taxonomy is not commonly followed.
Birda logo
Download Birda for free and join the community of curious everyday people connecting with the natural world
Birda logo
Download Birda for free and join the community

Great Skuas on Birda

Photos

Sightings

A map showing the sighting location
🦉
Catriona Banks
Monday 20 Mar 2023 - 1:36pm
United Kingdom
A map showing the sighting location
🦉
William Todd
Saturday 25 Feb 2023 - 11:25am
United Kingdom
A map showing the sighting location
🦢
João Miguel
Tuesday 17 Jan 2023 - 9:39am
Portugal
A map showing the sighting location
🦢
João Miguel
Saturday 17 Dec 2022 - 8:30am
Portugal
Connect with nature,
Find your flock
Copyright © 2023 Chirp Birding Ltd. All rights reserved.