The Great Skua: Close Up HD Footage (Stercorarius skua)
- last month
The Great Skua is a tough seabird that lives in the North Atlantic. It's big and brown, about the size of a gull, with a hooked beak. These birds are proper hard nuts - they'll even take on eagles! They eat all sorts of things, from fish to other birds' chicks.
Great Skuas are clever hunters. They'll chase other birds until they drop their food, then nick it. They're not fussy eaters and will scavenge too. During breeding season, they stick to the coasts of Scotland and Iceland. The rest of the year, they're out at sea.
These birds are pretty long-lived, sometimes making it to 30 years old. They usually lay two eggs, and both parents look after the chicks. Sadly, their numbers are dropping because of climate change and fishing.
Great Skuas are protected in the UK, but they're still in trouble. Scientists are working hard to help them, but it's not easy.
Learn more: https://binocularbase.com/bird/great-skua/
Great Skuas are clever hunters. They'll chase other birds until they drop their food, then nick it. They're not fussy eaters and will scavenge too. During breeding season, they stick to the coasts of Scotland and Iceland. The rest of the year, they're out at sea.
These birds are pretty long-lived, sometimes making it to 30 years old. They usually lay two eggs, and both parents look after the chicks. Sadly, their numbers are dropping because of climate change and fishing.
Great Skuas are protected in the UK, but they're still in trouble. Scientists are working hard to help them, but it's not easy.
Learn more: https://binocularbase.com/bird/great-skua/