It is about the same size as a common gull, with white patches on its wing tips. Often seen flying low over the water before pursuing other seabirds such as terns, it twists, climbs and dives until they relinquish their food.
This is a dark coloured medium sized seabird, with two distinctive long feathers at the middle of the tail.
Discover more about the Arctic Skua
When to see
They nest and breed on the coasts in northern Scotland during summer. In late summer and autumn they are birds of passage down the west and the east coasts of Scotland and in spring are seen in passage again northwards.
Where to see
Breeding birds can be found on Shetland and the Orkneys, also on coastal moorlands in the north and west.
Did you know?
Arctic skuas are dependant on stealing food from its target species, such as terns. Its own breeding success is therefore dependent on the ability of its target species to find food, in particular sand eels. The failure of the sand eel fisheries in Northern waters due to overfishing has therefore had an impact on numbers.
When to see
They nest and breed on the coasts in northern Scotland during summer. In late summer and autumn they are birds of passage down the west and the east coasts of Scotland and in spring are seen in passage again northwards.
Where to see
Breeding birds can be found on Shetland and the Orkneys, also on coastal moorlands in the north and west.
Did you know?
Arctic skuas are dependant on stealing food from its target species, such as terns. Its own breeding success is therefore dependent on the ability of its target species to find food, in particular sand eels. The failure of the sand eel fisheries in Northern waters due to overfishing has therefore had an impact on numbers.
When to see
They nest and breed on the coasts in northern Scotland during summer. In late summer and autumn they are birds of passage down the west and the east coasts of Scotland and in spring are seen in passage again northwards.
Where to see
Breeding birds can be found on Shetland and the Orkneys, also on coastal moorlands in the north and west.
Did you know?
Arctic skuas are dependant on stealing food from its target species, such as terns. Its own breeding success is therefore dependent on the ability of its target species to find food, in particular sand eels. The failure of the sand eel fisheries in Northern waters due to overfishing has therefore had an impact on numbers.
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Registered Company No: 303299 | Registered address: Wild Scotland, Suite 212, 8 Church Street, Inverness IV1 1EA