Ringing sites of Great skua
(n=)Recovery sites of Great skua
(n=)Facts
Birds ringed| Birds ringed | | 1.556 |
| Ringed as chicks | | 1.390 (89,3%) |
Recoveries| No. of recoveries | | 80 |
| No. of individuals | | 79 |
| Proportion recovered | | 5,1% |
Great skua is a common breeding bird in the Faroes with a population of approximately 500 pairs. Great skua is also a common migratory visitor. The great skuas leave the Faroes during winter. 1,556 great skuas have been ringed in the Faroes, the first in 1925 and most in 1961 (224), 2004 (126) and 1987 (97). Ringings have mainly been made during the breeding season in the three main colonies near Saksun on Streymoy, on Skúvoy, and on Svínoy. 90% were ringed as chicks. 79 great skuas have been recovered, 12 at the ringing site, 12 at sea around the Faroes and 19 abroad. Many were recovered 1961- 1974 (46) and 1987-2009 (30). Recoveries from Britain indicate that autumn migration begins in August, and recoveries have been made in France and Germany in October. Two recoveries from Greenland of birds ringed as chicks 3 and 4 years before indicate dispersal before reaching sexual maturity. Like other great skua populations, the Faroese population appears to winter off the coast of southern Europe and NW Africa. Great skuas have high nest site fidelity, and many recoveries are from the colony where they were ringed. The Faroese population is probably supplemented by great skuas from other populations. 47 great skuas ringed in Shetland and four in Iceland have been recovered in the Faroes during the breeding period. The longest-living Faroese ringed great skua was 18 years and 1 month.
Read more about the species in the chapter from
The Faroese Bird Migration Atlas here 
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