: Non-breeding. mid Jun-early Aug when a few subadults remain in the western Gulf of Maine.
Migration: mid May-early Jun and offshore mid Aug-mid Oct with to early Dec. Jun-mid Oct in Frenchman and Blue Hill Bays. Sep-mid Oct with to early Dec from Schoodic Point; otherwise from mainland observation points. on inland lakes and ponds.
Miscellany: The Bar Harbor whale watch tours offer the best chance of encountering the species.
Distant jaegers, especially sub-adults, are notoriously difficult to identify. Some perhaps many records should be listed as "jaeger species" even though Parasitic is by far the most likely species.
Parasitic Jaegers are formidable predators on their tundra breeding grounds, feeding on small birds and bird eggs. On the southbound migrations they rob terns (mostly) and small gulls of their food in often spectacular chases. They come in two color morph, light below/dark above and all dark, as well as a variety of intermediates.
Last Reviewed: July 12th, 2026