About the Long-tailed Jaeger
The long-tailed jaeger or long-tailed skua is a seabird in the skua family Stercorariidae.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
ID tip
This species is unmistakable as an adult, with grey back, dark primary wing feathers without a white "flash", black cap and very long tail. Adults often hover over their breeding territories. Juveniles are much more problematic, and are difficult to separate from parasitic jaeger over the sea. They are slimmer, longer-winged and more tern-like than that species, but show the same wide range of plumage variation. However, they are usually colder toned than Arctic, with greyer shades, rather than brown. This is the smallest of the skua family at 38–58 cm (15–23 in), depending on season and age.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
What the Long-tailed Jaeger sounds like
Where the Long-tailed Jaeger lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Netherlands, Colombia, Brazil, Panama, Morocco, Puerto Rico, Türkiye, Georgia, Philippines, Réunion, Martinique, Suriname, Bulgaria, Estonia.
When to see the Long-tailed Jaeger
Peak activity in June · a summer visitor species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Great SkuaStercorarius skuaGreat skuas measure 50–58 cm (20–23 in) long and have a 125–140 cm (49–55 in) wingspan.
Pomarine JaegerStercorarius pomarinusThis 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.
Chilean SkuaStercorarius chilensisChilean skuas tend to be dark on their back, flanks, and cheeks, and uniformly light underneath.
Side by side: Long-tailed Jaeger vs Parasitic Jaeger · Long-tailed Jaeger vs Pomarine Jaeger · Great Skua vs Long-tailed Jaeger
Learn the Long-tailed Jaeger in BeakBrain
Photo and call practice, free in any browser.
Play BeakBrainEvery photo and recording on this page is credited to its author under the licence shown. Spotted a problem with this page, or have a better photo? Contribute.