Species:

Great Skua (Stercorarius skua)

Common Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus)

Change species:
Main Images:
Length (cm):
53-58
40-42
Wingspan (cm):
132-140
75-80
Weight (gram):
1210-1630
284-614
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:

A large, grey pigeon with white patches on side of neck (adults) and conspicuous white wing-bands. Broad, dark terminal tail-band, and dark grey primaries. Underside of wings with little contrast between coverts and primaries/secondaries, as opposed to Stock Dove. Juveniles lacks white neck patches.

Sound:

Song a 5 syllable cooing phrase, with emphasis on first syllable (1.st also higher pitched). Fift syllable functions as an introduction to next phrase.

Song:

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
Pigeons
Silhouette
Several different images of the species
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ImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImage
Several different sounds of the species
Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file
Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file