Skuas and Jaegers Archives - Window to Wildlife

I made the run up with Bill G and Ryan S to Wisconsin Point in Superior Wisconsin for a taste of what Jaegerfest, the coming weekend was all about. It was a great time watching at least 4 Parasitic Jaegers chase gulls for the food they were carrying. After leaving Waukesha at midnight and arriving at Wisconsin Point by 5:00 am we had a few minutes before a beautiful sunrise. At sun up Parasitic Jaeger action started and continued about every 15 minutes till we left around 11:00 am. The action and speed of these birds could not be captured in images, it was amazing event to see! A couple of American Avocets also did a flyby off the shore with nice views. The bird of the day for me was the Sabine’s Gulls, a flock of 2 and then 4, a state lifer! The Sabine’s Gulls stayed out very far from shore and only gave distant views. A fun day with birding friends and meeting a few new ones too. The time we were there, it was mostly sunny and mild temps in the 60’s with steady winds off the lake. Images were taken on September 21, 2016.

Parasitic Jaeger (3rd year sub-adult)

Parasitic Jaeger

Binomial name: Stercorarius parasiticus

Category: Skuas and Jaegers

Size: 16.5″, adult to 20″ long, 46” wingspan

Weight: 1 Lb

Parasitic Jaeger (3rd year sub-adult)

Parasitic Jaeger, juvenile, chasing a gull

A Parasitic Jaeger disrupts a group of gulls chasing a gull

A Parasitic Jaeger comes into an area of water where gulls are sitting and the area irrupts and the jaeger typically chases a bird with food in its mouth

A Parasitic Jaeger comes into an area of water where gulls are sitting and the area irrupts and the jaeger typically chasesa bird with food in its mouth