Arctic skua

Short abstract from the book:
The breeding population of arctic skua in the Faroes is estimated at 900 pairs, dispersed over most of the islands. 1,190 arctic skuas have been ringed, most at Akraberg, Suðuroy (311). The first was ringed in 1933 but only from the 1980s have larger numbers been ringed. Most are ringed in the breeding season as chicks (55%). 15% of the birds were of the light morph. 91 birds have been recovered, a large part on Akraberg/Sumba (18) and Sandvik (13), both on Suðuroy. Of the recovered birds, 20 were ringed as chicks and 71 as adults (2y+). Eight birds have been recovered abroad: Iceland (2), England (2), France (1), Spain (1) Mauritania (1) and South Africa (1).Recoveries indicate that arctic skuas begin autumn migration in August, presumably to reach W Africa in October: A bird ringed 20 June 1994 in Skálavík, Sandoy was controlled 28 October 1996 at Port Etienne, Mauritania, 4,621 km to the S. During the winter period arctic skuas have been recovered in France (1) and South Africa (1). A recent recovery concerns a bird ringed 15 June 2004 on Akraberg, Suðuroy and found dead 15 March 2012 on a beach near Maldonado, Uruguay, 11,570 km from the ringing site. Arctic skuas seem to show high site fidelity. Birds hatched in the Faroes are on average recovered 120 km from the ringing site in a breeding season 4-14 years later. Adults are recovered 1 km from the ringing site 1-20 years later. Most recoveries are of controlled birds and only 13% have been found dead. Birds have been shot in France and Iceland. The longest-living skua was recovered at the ringing site 20 years and 11 months after it was ringed as a chick on Skúvoyarfjall, Sandoy.

Read more about the species in the chapter from The Faroese Bird Migration Atlas here