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A photo of a Pomarine Jaeger (Stercorarius pomarinus)
Pomarine Jaeger

Pomarine Jaeger

Stercorarius pomarinus

The pomarine jaeger (Stercorarius pomarinus), pomarine skua, or pomatorhine skua, is a seabird in the skua family Stercorariidae. It is a migrant, wintering at sea in the tropical oceans. Identification of this jaeger is complicated by its similarities to parasitic jaeger and the existence of three morphs. Pomarine jaegers are larger than common gulls. They are much bulkier, broader-winged and less falcon-like than the parasitic jaeger, but show the same wide range of plumage variation. The flight is more measured than that of the smaller species. It has many harsh chattering calls and others which sounds like which-yew. Light-morph adult pomarine jaegers have a brown back, mainly white underparts and dark primary wing feathers with a white "flash". The head and neck are yellowish-white with a black cap. Dark morph adults are dark brown, and intermediate morph birds are dark with somewhat paler underparts, head and neck. All morphs have the white wing flash, which appears as a diagnostic double flash on the underwing. In breeding adults of all morphs, the two central tail feathers are much longer than the others, spoon-shaped, and twisted from the horizontal. Juveniles are even more problematic to identify, and are difficult to separate from parasitic jaegers at a distance on plumage alone.
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Pomarine Jaegers on Birda

Photos

Sightings

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David Sayer
Monday 11 Sep 2023 - 6:30pm
United Kingdom
A map showing the sighting location
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Mervyn Campbell
Friday 08 Sep 2023 - 8:53am
United Kingdom
A map showing the sighting location
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Kevin Eldred
Friday 18 Aug 2023 - 7:11am
United Kingdom
A map showing the sighting location
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SJ Maples
Wednesday 09 Aug 2023 - 1:22pm
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