Arctic Skua

The Arctic Skua is medium-sized dark-looking seabird with pointed wings which is often seen flying low and fast above the waves harassing a tern or other bird in order to make it drop its food.

Arctic Skuas only come to land to breed and they are aggressive towards any intruders in to their breeding territories on coastal moorland in the Shetland and Orkney Islands and some areas of north and west Scotland.

During the autumn passage, Arctic Skuas are best looked for from coasts in August and September (especially in areas near tern colonies where there are good numbers of feeding birds) but they winter at sea associating with other pelagic seabirds.

Date: 14/06/06

Location: Handa Island, Sutherland