Species:

Great Skua (Stercorarius skua)

Garganey (Spatula querquedula)

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Length (cm):
53-58
37-41
Wingspan (cm):
132-140
60-63
Weight (gram):
1210-1630
250-450
Size group:
Bigger than a crow
Crow-size
Main Texts:
Appearance:

Large and heavy skua with broad wings and short tail. The white patches at base of primaries are more striking than in the other skuas, and are visible both on upper and underside of wings. Size comparable to Herring Gull, but build more compact. Seemingly black at a distance, but white wing-patches usually visible. Confusion with juvenile Pomarine Skua possible, but body is heavier (not just the chest), wings rounder, bill longer, neck thicker and tail shorter.

Sound:

Heard mostly at breeding ground. Short, and dry "kek", when agitated. Also a nasal, slightly mewing "kew".

Alarm call:

Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file


Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

CC-sound:Rob van Bemmelen, Licence,Link.

Appearance:

Small dabbling duck. Males unmistakable with broad white supercilium and high contrast between the dark mottled breast and the lighter flanks (visible at considerable distance). Female mottled in light brown colours with typical supercilium and contrasting eye-stripe. White spot at base of bill. Throat much lighter than in Teal. Both sexes with dark and fairly long bill. Head gives a square impression due to the flat crown. Speculum in flight shows narrow white edges, lacking Teal's broad front edge. Agile flight, but lacks the twists of Teals.

Sound:

Male display sound a characteristic dry rattling, like the sound of running fingernails along the teeth of a comb. A bit similar to Ptarmigan. Also heard at other times than when courting. Female: like female Teal, but typically a bit deeper and shorter calls.

Display-call male:

Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file


Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

Similar species (image):
Similar species (sound):
Silhouette Group:
Gull-like
Silhouette
Duck-like
Silhouette
Several different images of the species
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Several different sounds of the species