The south polar skua is a large seabird in the skua family, Stercorariidae. An older name for the bird is MacCormick's skua, after explorer and naval surgeon Robert McCormick, who first collected the type specimen. This species and the other large skuas, such as the great skua, are sometimes placed in a separate genus Catharacta.
Region
Southern Ocean and global pelagic waters
Typical Environment
Breeds on ice-free coastal areas and islands around Antarctica, often near penguin colonies. Outside the breeding season it disperses widely across the Southern Ocean and into temperate oceans of both hemispheres, sometimes reaching subarctic waters. Common at the pack-ice edge and over productive upwelling zones. Frequently follows ships and fishing vessels and ranges far from land over open ocean.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 600 m
Climate Zone
Polar
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Also known as MacCormick's skua, this powerful seabird breeds around Antarctica and ranges across oceans during the non-breeding season. It is a notorious kleptoparasite, harassing other seabirds to steal food, and it will readily prey on penguin eggs and chicks. South polar skuas undertake remarkable trans-equatorial migrations. They aggressively defend nests, often dive-bombing intruders.
Skua eggs
Skua chick
Temperament
aggressive and territorial
Flight Pattern
strong flier with powerful wingbeats and agile maneuvers
Social Behavior
Typically breeds in solitary pairs or loose colonies on open ground, fiercely defending nest sites. Monogamous pairs share incubation and chick rearing. Often associates with penguin and other seabird colonies where it scavenges and predates. Engages in kleptoparasitism, chasing terns, gulls, and petrels to force them to drop food.
Migratory Pattern
Seasonal migrant
Song Description
Vocalizations are harsh and scolding, including yelps, squawks, and rapid chattering notes. Calls intensify near nests or during aggressive interactions.
