Photo: Psychofox at English Wikipedia / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Great Skua
Stercorarius skua
Great Skua (Stercorarius skua) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 10 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Great Skua (Stercorarius skua) is a member of the Stercorariidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 1.3 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Charadriiformes
- Family Stercorariidae Skuas
- Genus Stercorarius
- Species skua
Where it lives
Iceland, Faroe Is., Ireland, Scotland, Norway, Svalbard (north of Norway), and northwestern Russia to Novaya Zemlya
Quick facts
- Weight
- 1.3 kg
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Stercorariidae
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Great Skua hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of open sea and coastal waters, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Great Skua is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Great Skua (Stercorarius skua) belongs to the Stercorariidae family of the order Charadriiformes. It occurs naturally across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL Iceland, Faroe Is., Ireland, Scotland, Norway, Svalbard (n of Norway), and nw Russia to Novaya Zemlya.
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 1.3 kg, with a wing length of about 39.5 cm and a tail of around 14.6 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Great Skua?
The Great Skua is a very large bird that weighs around 1.3 kg.
Where does the Great Skua live?
The Great Skua is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL Iceland, Faroe Is., Ireland, Scotland, Norway, Svalbard (n of Norway), and nw Russia to Novaya Zemlya, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Great Skua belong to?
The Great Skua (Stercorarius skua) belongs to the Stercorariidae family, in the order Charadriiformes.
What does the Great Skua eat?
The Great Skua hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Great Skua migrate?
The Great Skua is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Great Skua endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Great Skua make?
1 real field recording of the Great Skua — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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