Long-tailed Skua

Stercorarius longicaudus

Introduction

A scarce but regular passage migrant. In spring Long-tailed Skuas are more regularly recorded along western coasts, but in autumn they are more regular on North Sea coasts. Small numbers are sometimes recorded from inland locations.

Key Stats

Scarce

295g

2-2

<1%

BTO Records

8.8k records

Population and distribution stats for:

No data

No current data

% expansion

No data

No current data

300% expansion

Identification

Curated resources to aid in the identification of Long-tailed Skua

ID Videos

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This section features BTO training videos headlining this species, or featuring it as a potential confusion species.

Skuas

Songs and Calls

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Listen to example recordings of the main vocalisations of Long-tailed Skua, provided by xeno-canto contributors.

Call:

Status and Trends

Population size, trends and patterns of distribution based on BTO and partnership surveys and atlasses with data collected by BTO volunteers.

Conservation Status

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This species can be found on the following statutory and conservation listings and schedules.

UK Birds of Conservation Concern

Green listed

Species of European Conservation Concern

Least Concern

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (global)

Least Concern

Schedule 1 Licence required (to disturb)*

Birds Directive Annex 1

Listed on the Annexes of*

Bern(III)

* A guide only. Check details with the original legislation, especially those marked with an asterisk. See About Birdfacts for more information.

Population Size

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BOU Category

Source

First Record*

1832

* First documented occurrence. Most species undoubtedly occurred before this. See About Birdfacts for more information.

Population Change

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Population trends of this scarce species are not routinely monitored.

Distribution

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Long-tailed Skuas are scarce migrants on route to circumpolar breeding grounds. Occasionally birds may summer, as happened during 2008–11 on Shetland. Return passage is mostly in mid autumn but some birds linger into November and were recorded during the winter period of the 2007–11 atlas.

Occupied 10-km squares in UK

These figures come from Bird Atlas 2007 and indicate how widespread a species is.

No. occupied in breeding season

% occupied in breeding season

0.03%

No. occupied in winter

% occupied in winter

0.3%

Bird Atlas distribution maps show where bird species breed or winter in Britain and Ireland. For breeding maps, larger dots indicate higher certainty the species bred in that area.

Winter Distribution for Long-tailed Skua

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

Breeding Distribution for Long-tailed Skua

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

To view and download up-to-date distribution information aggregated from across BTO and partnership surveys and schemes, see our data holdings on the NBN Atlas.

European Distribution Map

European Breeding Bird Atlas 2

Distribution Change

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Change in occupied 10-km squares in the UK

These figures come from Bird Atlas 2007-11 and indicate by how much occupied areas have expanded or contracted over recent decades.

% change in range in winter (1981–84 to 2007–11)

300 %

Seasonality

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Long-tailed Skua is a scarce passage migrant. Spring passage is mostly confined to May, and return passage is mostly in September and October.

Weekly pattern of occurrence

The graph shows when the species is present in the UK, with taller bars indicating a higher likelihood of encountering the species in appropriate regions and habitats.

Phenology graph — Weekly occurrence patterns (shaded cells and reporting rates (vertical bars) based on BirdTrack data. Reporting rates give the likelihood of encountering the species each week.

Movement

Information about Long-tailed Skua movements and migration based on online bird portals (e.g. BirdTrack), Ringing schemes and tracking studies.

Britain & Ireland movement

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View a summary of recoveries in the Online Ringing Report

European movements

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EuroBirdPortal uses birdwatcher's records, such as those logged in BirdTrack to map the flows of birds as they arrive and depart Europe. See maps for this species here.

The Eurasian-African Migration Atlas shows movements of individual birds ringed or recovered in Europe. See maps for this species here.

Biology

Lifecycle and body size information for Long-tailed Skua, including statistics on nesting, eggs and lifespan based on BTO ringing and nest recording data.

Productivity and Nesting

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Nesting timing

Typical (exceptional) number of broods

Source

Egg measurements

Typical length x width

55x38 mm

Mass (% shell)

41g (6%)

Source

Clutch Size

Typical number

2-2 eggs

Observed minimum and maximum

1-3 eggs

Source

Incubation

Incubation by

Male + Female

Typical duration

25-23 days

Source

Fledging

Type of chick

Altricial, downy

Typical duration

26-24 days

Source

Survival and Longevity

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Survival is shown as the proportion of birds surviving from one year to the next and is derived from bird ringing data. It can also be used to estimate how long birds typically live.

Classification, names and codes

Taxonomy, names and species codes for Long-tailed Skua

Classification and Codes

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Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Stercorariidae
Scientific name: Stercorarius longicaudus
Authority: Vieillot, 1819

BTO 2-letter code: OG
BTO 5-letter code: LOTSK
Euring code number: 5680

Alternate species names

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Catalan: paràsit cuallarg
Czech: chaluha malá
Danish: Lille Kjove
Dutch: Kleinste Jager
Estonian: pikksaba-änn
Finnish: tunturikihu
French: Labbe à longue queue
Gaelic: Fàsgadair-stiùireach

German: Falkenraubmöwe
Hungarian: nyílfarkú halfarkas
Icelandic: Fjallkjói
Irish: Meirleach Earrfhada
Italian: Labbo codalunga
Latvian: garastes klijkaija
Lithuanian: ilgauodegis plešikas
Norwegian: Fjelljo

Polish: wydrzyk dlugosterny
Portuguese: mandrião-de-cauda-comprida / moleiro-rabilongo
Slovak: pomorník malý
Slovenian: dolgorepa govnacka
Spanish: Págalo rabero
Swedish: fjällabb
Welsh: Sgiwen Lostfain

More Evidence

More evidence from Conservation Evidence.com

Partners

Birdfacts is based on data collected by volunteers participating in surveys that are organised and funded by BTO, RSPB, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, JNCC and other partners.

BTO

Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

JNCC

RSPB

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