What eats the south polar skua?

Are there skuas at the South Pole?

South polar skuas have been seen at the actual Geographic South Pole. Megalestris Hill, on Petermann Island in the Wilhelm Archipelago of Antarctica, is named after an obsolete generic name for the south polar skua. Like other skuas, it flies at the head of a human or other intruder approaching its nest.

What type of animal is a skuas?

Skuas comprise five species of sea birds in the family Stercorariidae, order Charadriiformes. Some taxonomists include skuas in the Laridae family along with the gulls and terns. These birds breed on the coastal tundra and barrens of the Arctic and Antarctic, and winter at sea and in coastal waters.

Where can you see skuas in Antarctica?

On the Falklands, it’s easy, with only the local subspecies of the Brown Skua (aptly named Falkland (Brown) Skua) and on South Georgia, one can only see the Subantarctic (Brown) Skua. But on the Peninsula, the fun starts with the combination of the Subantarctic (Brown) Skua and the South Polar Skua.

What is the difference between a south polar skua and subantarctic skua?

Differences are small with the Subantarctic Skua having a bit a heavier bill and larger head and having a bit more streaked plumage compared to the South Polar Skua. But as both species are quite variable and the South Polar Skua having different colour morphs, it’s often challenging to come to a specific identification.

What is the difference between the different types of skuas?

But on the Peninsula, the fun starts with the combination of the Subantarctic (Brown) Skua and the South Polar Skua. Differences are small with the Subantarctic Skua having a bit a heavier bill and larger head and having a bit more streaked plumage compared to the South Polar Skua.

How many south polar skuas are there?

Great Skuas were particularly abundant, with up to 120 individuals counted together feeding on our discards. Among the thousands seen, 3 South Polar Skuas (all aged as 2ndcycle+) stole the show, given the species is still considered a mega in this side of the Atlantic. Figure 1.

Where can I find skuas in Patagonia?

In southern Patagonia, it starts with the Chilean Skua. Further south one can see the South Polar Skua or one of the different subspecies of the Brown Skua, or maybe even a hybrid between the last two species.

Where do south polar skuas come from?

The south polar skua breeds on the Antarctic Continent and is a winter visitor to Australia. It has been recorded as far north as Greenland and the Aleutian Islands. Conservation status:least concern Breeding South polar skuas arrive at their breeding colonies in late October to mid-December.

Are there skuas in Australia?

The south polar skua breeds on the Antarctic Continent and is a winter visitor to Australia. Skip to content Home About Antarctica Overview Animals Overview Penguins Seals & sea lions

What is the size of a south polar skua?

Physical description The south polar skua is a large bird that grows to 53cm in length. Distribution and abundance The south polar skua breeds on the Antarctic Continent and is a winter visitor to Australia. It has been recorded as far north as Greenland and the Aleutian Islands.

What is the scientific name for south polar skua?

South Polar Skua (Stercorarius maccormicki), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors).

How many south polar skuas are there in the world?

Estimates place the worldwide South Polar Skua population at over 15,000 adult individuals. Do South Polar Skuas have any natural predators? South Polar Skuas don’t really face any natural predators, but they have low success rates at breeding which makes maintaining their population difficult.

Do skuas live in Antarctica?

Small numbers of subantarctic skuas have been observed foraging at Antarctic islands, but they do not breed there. Although most adult birds leave their colonies during winter, on some islands off the coast of New Zealand, a large proportion of the population will stay near the colonies all year round.

What is the most common bird in Antarctica?

1 Emperor Penguin. The emperor penguin is perhaps the most recognizable bird on the list. This species is white with a black back, wings, and head. 2 Antarctic Petrel. The Antarctic petrel inhabits the Antarctic Islands. … 3 South Polar Skua. The south polar skua grows to around 21 inches in length and is a grayish-brown color.

Are there giant petrels in Antarctica?

Giant Petrels. Largest of the petrel family, Giant petrels, unlike albatrosses, forage on both land and sea. On land, these Antarctic birds kill other birds as large as King penguins and scavenge in seal colonies.

Why are there so many penguins in Antarctica?

Most of the birds breed in very large numbers due to the lack of snow-free nesting grounds which means they are compressed into the rocky areas. The penguin is the most common bird but only two species of penguin are considered to be true Antarctic birds.

What are the 4 types of Antarctic penguins?

The four “true” Antarctic penguin species (those living in continental Antarctica) are the Adelie, Gentoo, Chinstrap, and Emperor Penguins. How big are fur seals in the Antarctic?

Where do you find prion breeding colonies?

Breeding colonies are found on South Georgia, the South Sandwich Islands, the South Orkney Islands, the South Shetland Island, Iles Crozet, Iles Kerguelen, Heard Island, Macquarie Island, Auckland Island, and Scott Island. Antarctic prion are highly gregarious with flocks comprising thousands of individuals commonly seen at sea.

What is the name of the giant petrel?

Macronectes halli. Hall’s giant petrel, Northern giant petrel. Southern Ocean north of the Antarctic Convergence Zone, and north through Chile, Argentina, South Africa, and half of Australia.

Why do Penguins choose to live in Antarctica?

If you’re question was more along the lines of why penguins choose to live on the icy hellscape that is Antarctica, the answer is that penguins are supremely adapted to the conditions.

Do emperor penguins live in Antarctica?

Emperor penguins march along the ice on Cape Washington on Antarctica’s Ross Sea. Contrary to popular belief, these charismatic birds do not live in Antarctica’s vast interior, including at the South Pole—they stick to the coast. Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.

Are there Penguins in the Arctic or South Pole?

There are no penguins in the Arctic or the South Pole. One of the most common mistakes is that penguins live in the Arctic. In fact, this penguin-free region is home to another charismatic bird—the Atlantic puffin. These colorful birds dress up their black and white plumage with an orange, parrot-like beak and feet.

What are the two main islands in Antarctica?

Sub Antarctic and Antarctic islands, Antarctic Peninsula. Continental Antarctica on the sea-ice, the most southerly of all species of penguins. Falkland islands and south to the sub-Antarctic islands, the most northerly of the 4 Antarctic species.

How many types of penguins are there in Antarctica?

Meet the Penguins of Antarctica – seven types of penguins. 1 Adelie penguin. Adelie penguins spend the winter in the seas surrounding the Antarctic and the rest of the year on the many small coastal islands. 2 Gentoo penguin. 3 Macaroni penguin. 4 Emperor penguin.

Do Albatross follow ships around the South Atlantic?

Any visiting ship to the South Atlantic will almost certainly at some time be followed by one or more albatrosses, wheeling and turning around the ship, following at a distance hypnotically and silently. The bird in the picture to the right is a relative juvenile recognisable by the dark wing tips.

What kind of head does an albatross have?

Light-mantled sooty albatrosses have a dark grey head with a distinctive white crescent surrounding most of the eye. Wandering albatross are found right across the Southern Ocean. Young birds remain at sea for 5–10 years before returning…

Why aren’t there Penguins in the Arctic?

Although there are no penguins in the Arctic today, there are many fascinating connections between the polar north and our beloved, tuxedoed sweethearts of the south. “Everything existing in the universe is the fruit of chance and necessity.” Penguins evolved in the Southern Hemisphere, not in the Arctic. But why? Here are a few possible reasons: