RICHARDSON'S SKUA 



Stercoranus crepzdatus 



iICHARDSON'S Skua is by far the most abundant of the 

 Skuas which visit our Islands. On migration it frequents 

 most parts of the Scotch coast, but its breeding-places are 

 confined to the extreme north of the British Islands. It 

 has several breeding-stations on the Outer Hebrides, chiefly 

 in North and South Uist, one or two on the Inner 

 Hebrides, and on the Orkney and Shetland Islands it is 

 fairly abundant. On the mainland of Scotland it breeds on some of the 

 Caithness moors and in Sutherlandshire. In Ireland and England there are 

 no authenticated records of its having nested, though it is known as a regular 

 visitor to both countries in winter. 



The favourite haunts of Richardson's Skua are the open moors and 

 hillsides and low grassy islands. Its flight is strong and swift, rather like 

 some of the hawks. No Gull or Tern has any chance of escape when chased 

 by it, so quickly can it turn and double back. While chasing some unfortunate 

 Gull its screams resemble the syllables ' keeaah-keeaahj but its usual note 

 when flying about its breeding-grounds is a loud ' kitti-aah-kitti-yow' sometimes 

 shortened into ' kyow-kyow? 



There are two phases of plumage, a light form and a dark form, but 

 they pair indiscriminately with each other, and the young birds resemble one 

 or other of their parents. There is no intermediate adult plumage. 



The Skua's favourite method of obtaining its food is to steal from its neigh- 

 bours, the Gulls and Terns, robbing them of their newly-caught fish. It will 

 chase some unfortunate bird and buffet it till it disgorges the fish] it has caught, 

 pouncing down and seizing its prize before it reaches the water. It also robs 

 their nests of both eggs and young. No garbage thrown upon the beach 



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