Brown Skua

Stercorarius antarcticus (Lesson, RP, 1831)

1.6 kgWeight

Busiest months: November · Most records: Falkland Islands, South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands, Antarctica

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: November · Most records: Falkland Islands, South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands, Antarctica

Brown Skua has been recorded at 102 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 13 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

Sea Lion IslandFalkland Islands1,184 records
Cape PembrokeFalkland Islands653 records
Salisbury PlainSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands443 records

More places

GrytvikenSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands443 records
St Andrew's BaySouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands409 records
Gold HarbourSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands404 records
Half Moon IslandAntarctica392 records
Eaglehawk Neck Pelagic TripAustralia348 records
Saunders Island – The NeckFalkland Islands339 records
Carcass IslandFalkland Islands339 records

Countries and regions with the most records

Falkland Islands South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands Antarctica New Zealand Australia South Africa French Southern Territories St. Helena

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The brown skua (Stercorarius antarcticus), also known as the Antarctic skua, Subantarctic skua, southern great skua, southern skua, or hākoakoa (Māori), is a large seabird that breeds in the subantarctic and Antarctic zones and moves farther north when not breeding. Its taxonomy is highly complex and a matter of dispute, with some splitting it into two or three species: Falkland skua (S. antarcticus), Tristan skua (S. hamiltoni), and subantarctic skua (S. lonnbergi).

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Brown Skua?

The Brown Skua weighs around 1.6 kg.

Where does the Brown Skua live?

Its breeding range: Southern Ocean, Antarctica: southern oceans and coasts: coastal southern Argentina, Falkland Islands, Tristan da Cunha group (south-central South Atlantic), subantarctic and Antarctic islands from Cape Horn to New Zealand region. It is most often recorded in Falkland Islands, South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands and Antarctica.

When is the best time to see the Brown Skua?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in November (Southern Hemisphere).

What does the Brown Skua eat?

Main food: Fish, shrimp & shellfish.

What family is the Brown Skua in?

It belongs to the family Skuas (Stercorariidae), order Charadriiformes.

At a glance

Weight: 1.6 kg
Habitat: Ocean
Diet: Fish, shrimp & shellfish
Lifestyle: Feeds in the air
Migration: Migratory

More measurements

Wing: 401 mm
Tail: 148 mm
Bill: 59 mm
Tarsus: 72 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Southern Ocean, Antarctica: southern oceans and coasts: coastal southern Argentina, Falkland Islands, Tristan da Cunha group (south-central South Atlantic), subantarctic and Antarctic islands from Cape Horn to New Zealand region

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2