Great Skua (Stercorarius skua)
Skylark (Alauda arvensis)
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:
Distribution:
Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)
Ecology:Birdlife ecology
Links:
Observation.org Latest observations
Image search Flickr NB! May give other species
CCShort foldable crest. Pale eye-ring and supercilium. Long primary projection (primaries extend well beyond tertials), white trailing edge to wing and white outer tail feathers. Tail much longer than in Wood Lark.
Sound:Song a pleasing energetic stream of chirping, merry trills, interspersed with mimicry. Trills quite resonant with fairly full tone. Song usually given in flight high in the air. Less characteristic, shorter, weaker and more varied song when given from ground. Most typical flight call a short trilling "chirrup", with the end note noticeably lower pitched than the start. Also several other more cryptic calls.
Song:
Distribution:
Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)
Ecology:Birdlife ecology
Links:
Observation.org Latest observations
Image search Flickr NB! May give other species
CC