Chilean Skua vs Pomarine Jaeger

Chilean Skua

Stercorarius chilensis

1.4 kgMarine

Chilean skuas tend to be dark on their back, flanks, and cheeks, and uniformly light underneath. The dark colour usually extends from their back across the upper chest to form a pectoral collar. The underside of their wings is characteristically cinnamon-coloured, but this colour can be rather dull in some individuals. All adults have a distinctive dark cap and prominent pale gold streaking on the face and neck. They have black legs, brown irises, and a small, bluish bill with a dark tip. Their wingspan is 130 to 138 cm. Voice: Very little information is available on the vocalizations of the Chilean skua. At the breeding colony, it performs a long-call which consists of ten to twelve short nasal barks. This call is seemingly unrelated to chick-rearing and has been described as almost goose-like due to its distinctly deep and hoarse nature. Other calls may include short guttural grunts.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Arthur Chapman · CC BY 2.0

Pomarine Jaeger

Stercorarius pomarinus

Large692 gMarine

This species ranges from 46 to 67 cm (18 to 26 in) in length, 110 to 138 cm (43 to 54 in) in wingspan and 540–920 g (1.19–2.03 lb) in weight. The upper limit of the length includes the elongated tail streamer of breeding adults, which is about 10 cm (3.9 in) in length. 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.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Mike Prince from Bangalore, India · CC BY 2.0

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Chilean Skua and Pomarine Jaeger.