Skuas in Antarctica: Predators, Scavengers, Territory Defenders

Skuas (primarily South Polar Skua and Brown Skua) are the apex avian predators of Antarctica's coastal zones.

Habitat & Distribution

• Breed on ice-free coastal terrain: islands, peninsulas, nunataks
• Ross Sea, Antarctic Peninsula, sub-Antarctic islands (South Georgia, Heard, Macquarie)
• Pelagic outside breeding season — range across Southern Ocean

Feeding Ecology

• Predation: Penguin eggs/chicks (Adélie, Chinstrap, Gentoo), petrel chicks, fish, krill
• Kleptoparasitism: Harass penguins, albatrosses, petrels to steal food
• Scavenging: Carrion (seal placentas, dead penguins, whale remains), station waste (historically)

Behavior

• Territorial aggression: Dive-bomb intruders (including humans) near nests
• Pair bonds: Long-term, site-faithful
• Migration: Transequatorial — North Pacific/Atlantic winters

Ecological Role

Regulate penguin colonies (selective pressure), nutrient cycling (guano), indicator species for ecosystem health. Protected under Antarctic Treaty / CCAMLR.

Skuas don't just survive Antarctica — they run the avian neighborhood.