South Polar Skua (Stercorarius maccormicki)
Monterey Bay, California, USA - September 13, 2008
Canon EOS 40D, Canon 500mm f/4.0 L USM
© Martin Lofgren

South Polar Skua (Stercorarius maccormicki)
Monterey Bay, California, USA - September 13, 2008
Canon EOS 40D, Canon 500mm f/4.0 L USM
© Martin Lofgren

South Polar Skua (Stercorarius maccormicki)
Monterey Bay, California, USA - September 13, 2008
Canon EOS 40D, Canon 500mm f/4.0 L USM
© Martin Lofgren

South Polar Skua (Stercorarius maccormicki)
Monterey Bay, California, USA - September 16, 2008
Canon EOS 40D, Canon 500mm f/4.0 L USM
© Martin Lofgren

South Polar Skua (Stercorarius maccormicki)
Monterey Bay, California, USA - September 12, 2008
Canon EOS 40D, Canon 500mm f/4.0 L USM
© Martin Lofgren

South Polar Skua (Stercorarius maccormicki)
Monterey Bay, California, USA - September 12, 2008
Canon EOS 40D, Canon 500mm f/4.0 L USM
© Martin Lofgren

South Polar Skua (Stercorarius maccormicki)
Off Cape Hatteras, NC, USA - May 30, 2004
Nikon FE, 400mm Tokina

ID: Pale body contrasting with darker, evenly colored wings

South Polar Skua (Stercorarius maccormicki)
Off Cape Hatteras, NC, USA - May 30, 2004
Nikon FE, 400mm Tokina

ID: Pale back of the neck, and pale area by the base of the bill

South Polar Skua (Stercorarius maccormicki)
Off Cape Hatteras, NC, USA - May 30, 2004
Nikon FE, 400mm Tokina

South Polar Skua (Stercorarius maccormicki)
Off Cape Hatteras, NC, USA - May 30, 2004
Nikon FE, 400mm Tokina

ID: Contrasting pale back of the neck (which is the only pale pigment in extreme dark birds(this bird is intermediate))