South Polar Skua - Stercorarius maccormicki

Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Laridae
Genus: Stercorarius

Description

The south polar skua is a stocky gull-like bird that is about 21 inches in length. It has a dull brownish-gray body with white patches on its outer wings. It has a thick neck; a short, broad tail; a thick, hooked, black bill and black legs. Males and females look alike.

Range

The south polar skua breeds in Antarctica. Sometimes younger skua migrate into the Atlantic and Pacific ocean areas of the Northern Hemisphere during the Southern Hemisphere's winter season.

Habitat

Except during breeding season, the south polar skua lives on the open ocean.

Diet

The south polar skua eats fish, krill, squid, carrion, crustaceans, mollusks, and the eggs and chicks of seabirds. It may also follow ships at sea and eat garbage that is thrown overboard.

Life Cycle

The female south polar skua lays one or two eggs in a depression in the ground, usually located in a sheltered area like a rocky outcropping or a cliffside. The eggs hatch in about 24-34 days. The south polar skua sometimes nests in colonies.

Behavior

The south polar skua sometimes chases and harasses other birds to force them to drop their catches.