Great Skua (Stercorarius skua) - Birds Around Me 0280

- January 02, 2026

The Great Skua (Stercorarius skua) is one of the most formidable seabirds of the North Atlantic. Roughly the size of a herring gull, it measures 50–58 cm in length with a wingspan of 125–140 cm, and is instantly recognizable by its bulky build, dark brown plumage, and bold white flashes on the wings.

Great Skua (Stercorarius skua)
Iceland, July 2025

Nicknamed the “pirate of the seas,” the Great Skua is notorious for its feeding strategy. While it hunts fish and preys on smaller birds such as puffins, it is best known for its kleptoparasitic behavior—harassing gannets, gulls, and terns until they drop their catch, which the skua then seizes mid‑air. This aggressive dominance makes it one of the most feared seabirds in its range.

Great Skua (Stercorarius skua)
Iceland, July 2025

Breeding colonies are found on moorlands and coastal islands of northern Europe, particularly Scotland, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands. Nests are simple scrapes on the ground, and the birds fiercely defend them. Anyone approaching too close is likely to be dive‑bombed by angry adults, a behavior that has earned them both respect and caution from humans.

Outside the breeding season, Great Skuas spend most of their lives at sea, migrating south to winter off the coasts of Spain, Africa, and the Mediterranean. Their powerful flight allows them to cover vast distances across stormy oceans.

Though listed as Least Concern globally, the Great Skua is considered Red‑listed in the UK due to its limited breeding range and vulnerability to climate change, overfishing, and habitat disturbance.

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Ashutosh Jhureley @BirdsAroundMe