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Slender gull-like seabird; the middle-sized of the three jaegers.
Not listed
Indigenous: Arctic Skua
At a glance
FamilySkuas and Jaegers
SizeMedium
RarityUncommon
HabitatCoastlines, harbours, offshore waters, estuaries, headlands, beaches, and large inland water when conditions suit.
Best timeMost reliable in Victoria from April.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Lars Edenius
Range map
Range map
508visible hotspots
6133visible records
6states
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
Difficult to separate from other jaegers. Breeding adults have a long pointed tail (not as long as Long-tailed Jaeger). Plumage varies from entirely dark blackish-brown to paler with white belly and yellowish on the side of the neck. Immature birds are variable but usually warm brown with cinnamon barring on wings. Barring on underwing and undertail is weaker than on Pomarine Jaeger. Shape and flight style are intermediate between Pomarine and Long-tailed. Typically shows white shafts on four to six outermost wing feathers, more than Long-tailed, but less than Pomarine. Bill is relatively long and slender. All jaegers chase other birds and steal their food.
Behavior
Breeds on Arctic tundra; spends the rest of the year at sea.
Gallery