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Large, dark brown skua with a very robust beak.
Not listed
At a glance
FamilySkuas and Jaegers
SizeLarge
RarityUncommon
HabitatCoastlines, harbours, offshore waters, estuaries, headlands, beaches, and large inland water when conditions suit.
Best timeMost reliable in New South Wales from June to August.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Kevin Guille
Range map
Range map
423visible hotspots
3438visible records
5states
SparseModerateDense hotspot
Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.
Species notes
Overview
Several subspecies vary in plumage from largely dark to mottled pale brown. In flight, exhibits a broad white patch on both upperwings and underwings. The dark morph of South Polar Skua has colder tones and a smaller bill, but field separation is difficult.
Behavior
Usually seen well offshore, less often towards the coast; often follows boats. Lacks the capped appearance of Great and Chilean Skuas, and has darker underwing coverts than those species.
Gallery