A BIRDLOVER'S YEAR 



chase the smaller gulls with fury and force 

 them to disgorge their recently swallowed 

 prey, which the skuas catch with marvellous 

 rapidity. 



There are only two members of this species 

 which breed in Britain : the Great Skua 

 (Megalestris catarrhactes) and Richardson's 

 Skua (Stercorarius crepidatus). This last bird 

 is both circumpolar and subarctic in its 

 breeding range. In Britain it nests in the 

 Hebrides and the Orkney and Shetland Isles, 

 as well as in the counties of Caithness and 

 Sutherland. The great skua is to be found 

 breeding in the Shetland Isles. 



The Pomatorhine Skua (S. pomatorhinus) 

 is a regular winter visitor to the north of 

 Britain whilst the Long-tailed Skua (S. 

 parasiticus) (an Arctic species) is only to be 

 seen on rare occasions. 



These birds close the list of the gull-like 

 family, so dear to the heart of the writer. 

 In this world every one has his own favourites 

 among man and beast, but surely there 

 never was a more charming spectacle to 

 behold than the sea-swallow plunging for 

 its daily food, or a group of gulls hovering 

 with outstretched wings preparatory to 

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