Turf War - Chilean Skuas (Stercorarius chilensis) @ Tucker Islet, Patagonian Chile-2735
A spirited dispute between skuas for prime beachfront real estate. We watched them for several minutes from a Zodiac offshore.
From Wikipedia:
The Chilean skua, also called the cinnamon skua (Stercorarius chilensis), is a large predatory seabird, which breeds in Argentina and Chile, but ranges as far north as Brazil and Peru when not breeding. A relatively distinctive skua, it has a dark cap that contrasts with its cinnamon throat and lower face. Hybrids with the brown skua are known from southern Argentina.
While nowhere near the size of birds such as the wandering albatross, the Chilean skua makes up for it in sheer aggression towards other birds.
Chilean skuas feed on fish and other seabirds, as well as scraps, and carrion.
Turf War - Chilean Skuas (Stercorarius chilensis) @ Tucker Islet, Patagonian Chile-2735
A spirited dispute between skuas for prime beachfront real estate. We watched them for several minutes from a Zodiac offshore.
From Wikipedia:
The Chilean skua, also called the cinnamon skua (Stercorarius chilensis), is a large predatory seabird, which breeds in Argentina and Chile, but ranges as far north as Brazil and Peru when not breeding. A relatively distinctive skua, it has a dark cap that contrasts with its cinnamon throat and lower face. Hybrids with the brown skua are known from southern Argentina.
While nowhere near the size of birds such as the wandering albatross, the Chilean skua makes up for it in sheer aggression towards other birds.
Chilean skuas feed on fish and other seabirds, as well as scraps, and carrion.