Brown Skua
Skuas are one of the chief predators in penguin colonies. Here is a Brown Skua at Saint Andrews on South Georgia Island. Roger Tory Peterson talked about skuas in penguin colonies operating a protection racket: they eat their share of penguin chicks and eggs, but because they are territorial, they chase away other skuas and prevent the entire colony from being destroyed. The skuas on this trip all looked pretty much alike -- stocky brown birds with white marks near the ends of their wings. There were differences in the shade of brown, the bulkiness of the bird, and whether there was a dark cap.
Brown Skua
Skuas are one of the chief predators in penguin colonies. Here is a Brown Skua at Saint Andrews on South Georgia Island. Roger Tory Peterson talked about skuas in penguin colonies operating a protection racket: they eat their share of penguin chicks and eggs, but because they are territorial, they chase away other skuas and prevent the entire colony from being destroyed. The skuas on this trip all looked pretty much alike -- stocky brown birds with white marks near the ends of their wings. There were differences in the shade of brown, the bulkiness of the bird, and whether there was a dark cap.