Artic Skua |
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A medium-sized dark-looking seabird with pointed wings and pale patches above the wingtips. Often seen flying low and fast above the waves in pursuit of a tern or other bird, sometimes chasing it high into the air, twisting and turning, to make it drop its food. It comes to land only to breed and is aggressive towards intruders into its breeding territory.
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Black-tailed Godwit |
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The black-tailed godwit is a large wading bird with a very long straight bill and long legs. In flight it shows a white wing-stripe and a black and white tail. It has suffered a large breeding population decline in the past and is now a rare breeder. It is a summer visitor to its breeding grounds, wintering in Africa.
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Curlew |
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The curlew is the largest European wading bird, instantly recognisable on winter estuaries or summer moors with its long down-curved bill, brown underparts and long legs. There have been worrying breeding declines in many areas largely due to loss of habitat through agricultural intensification.
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Great Skua |
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The Great Skua or "Bonxie" is an aggressive pirate of the seas, deliberately harrassing birds as large as gannets to seal a free meal. It also readily kills and eats smaller birds such as puffins. Great skuas show little fear of humans - anybody getting close to the nest will be repeatedly dive-bombed by the angry adult.
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Greenland White-fronted Goose |
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The white-fronted goose is a grey goose, bigger than a mallard and smaller than a mute swan. Adults have a large white patch at the front of the head around the beak and bold black bars on the belly. The legs are orange and Siberian birds have pink bills, while Greenland birds have orange bills. This species does not breed in the UK but two races visit the UK in winter - birds that breed in Greenland and birds that breed in Siberia.
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Hen Harrier |
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Of the UK's birds of prey, this is the most intensively peresecuted. Once predating free-range fowl, earning its present name, its perceived affect on grouse population is the cause of modern conflict and threatens its survival in some parts of the UK.
Click for details of the Orkney Hen Harrier Scheme
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Merlin |
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The UK's smallest bird of prey, this compact, dashing falcon has a relatively long square-cut tail and rather broad-based pointed wings, shorter than those of other falcons. Its wingbeat tends to be rapid with occasional glides, wings held close to the body and its small size enables it hover and hang in the breeze as it pursues its prey.
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Red-throated Diver |
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The smallest of the UK's divers, its grey-brown plumage and up-tilted bill readily distinguish it from other species. In summer it has a distinctive red throat. They usually jump up to dive and can stay underwater for a minute and a half. They are very ungainly on land, only coming ashore to breed.
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Twite |
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The twite is a small brown bird, similar in size to a linnet but with a longer tail and stubbier bill. Its back is tawny, heavily streaked with dark brown, its flanks have dark brown streaks and its belly is white. In breeding plumage the male's rump is pink. It spends most of the time feeding on the ground.
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