Arctic Skua

Seen one? Add it to your free UK BirdedexHear its song and see the mapFree, no app download. Uncommon bird: +3 points when you log it.

Habitat and behaviour

Habitat: Northern moors (summer); sea (passage).
Diet: Fish, parasitism.
Best time to spot: Pirates terns and Kittiwakes.

When to look

Resident in the UK, so it can be found year-round. Numbers peak in May. See the May birding guide for what else is about. More on the season in British seabirds.

Taller bars mean more birds about. Grey means it is usually absent.

How rare is it?

The Arctic Skua sits in our Uncommon tier for the UK: regular, but you usually need the right place or the right season. It is Red-listed in Birds of Conservation Concern 5, the highest level of concern in the UK.

Where to see it

Reserves where the Arctic Skua is on the list:

• RSPB South Stack

Recent UK sightings

Similar birds

• Great SkuaUncommon · Northern isles (summer)
• Long-tailed SkuaRare · Open sea (autumn passage)
• Pomarine SkuaRare · Open sea (passage)
• South Polar SkuaLegendary · Pelagic (very rare)
• WhimbrelUncommon · Northern moors (summer); coast (passage)
• Arctic TernUncommon · Northern coasts (summer)

Kit that helps

Best spotting scopes for UK birding. Affiliate links, our own picks, no extra cost to you.