Pomarine Jaeger

Pomarine Jaeger
This species is defined as a Review Species . Please submit your records of this species via our record submission page .

Scientific Name: Stercorarius pomarinus

Malay Name: Camar-Lanun Ekor Sudu

Chinese Name: 中贼鸥

Alternative Name(s): Pomarine Skua

Range: Breeds in the Arctic region and winters south in the temperate and tropical oceans.

Taxonomy: Monotypic.

Size: 47-61.5 cm

Identification: The biggest of the three jaegers. Has distinct twisted central tail feathers in the adult breeding plumage. In all plumages, the white feather bases to the primaries and primary coverts gives a "double flash" impression.

Similar looking species: Parasitic Jaeger, Long-tailed Jaeger

Habitat: Open seas.

Behaviour/Ecology: A pelagic species often observed engaging in kleptoparasitism, a behaviour where they snatch food from other less aggressive pelagic birds such as terns.

Local Status: Vagrant

Conservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2018)

Featured articles:

Past records in our database:

Showing only accepted records. Note that records currently under review are also not displayed, and the list may not be a full list of records of this species in Singapore. For more details, check the database here.

Migrant bar chart (see more bar charts):

Pomarine Jaeger Stercorarius pomarinus
Average number of individuals by week based on Singapore Bird Database data, Jul 2014 to Jun 2024 (all records)
Early date 13 Nov 2010
Late date 19 Mar 2011
Bar chart not displayed for this species; no records in the given time period.
Singapore's rarest jaeger species, with only two past records from the Singapore Straits in Nov 2010 and Mar 2011.

External Links:

Conservation Status: IUCN Red List Page

Sound Recordings: xeno-canto Link

Wikipedia Entry: Wikipedia Link

eBird Species page: eBird (Pomarine Jaeger)

References:

BirdLife International. (2018). Stercorarius pomarinus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22694240A132534251.en. Accessed on 1 January 2023

Robson, C. (2014). Field guide to the birds of South-East Asia (Second Edition). Bloomsbury Publishing, London.

Eaton, J. A., van Balen, S., Brickle, N. W., & Rheindt, F. E. (2021). Birds of the Indonesian Archipelago: Greater Sundas and Wallacea (Second Edition). Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

RECOMMENDED CITATION

Bird Society of Singapore. (n.d.). Pomarine Jaeger. Retrieved on May 16, 2025 from https://singaporebirds.com/species/pomarine-jaeger.

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