Stercorarius antarcticus
The Brown Skua (*Stercorarius antarcticus*), a formidable avian predator of the Southern Hemisphere, is a large, robust seabird measuring 52-64 cm (20-25 in) in length with a formidable wingspan of 126-160 cm (50-63 in) and weighing 1.2-2.1 kg (2.6-4.6 lb). Its plumage varies from uniformly dark brown to heavily streaked brown, often with a paler nape, but its most distinctive field mark is the prominent white flash at the base of the primary feathers, visible in flight. Taxonomically, it bel...
Primarily a pelagic seabird, the Brown Skua breeds on exposed, open ground, often among tussock grass or rocky outcrops on sub-Antarctic islands and coastal areas, typically at or near sea level. Outside the breeding season, it ranges widely over the open Southern Ocean.
The Brown Skua's diet is highly varied and opportunistic, consisting primarily of seabirds (eggs, chicks, and adults), penguins, fish obtained through kleptoparasitism or scavenging, carrion, and occasionally small mammals or invertebrates. They are notorious for stealing food from other birds, a...
Brown Skuas exhibit daily activity, primarily foraging during daylight hours, often roosting communally or solitarily on coastlines or at sea. Their foraging strategies are highly opportunistic and notoriously aggressive, ranging from active predation on birds and mammals to scavenging and relent...
The Brown Skua (*Stercorarius antarcticus* complex) breeds exclusively across a broad band of sub-Antarctic and cool temperate islands, as well as coastal regions of southern South America and New Zealand. Key breeding localities include the Falkland Islands, South Georgia, Prince Edward Islands,...
Least Concern
- Often called the "pirate of the Southern Ocean" due to its notorious kleptoparasitic habits. - They are capable of preying on birds significantly larger than themselves, including adult penguins and albatross chicks. - Brown Skuas are known to "dive-bomb" humans or other perceived threats that ...