Chilean Skua vs South Polar Skua
Catharacta chilensis compared with Catharacta maccormicki
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Chilean Skua | South Polar Skua |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Catharacta chilensis | Catharacta maccormicki |
| Order | Charadriiformes | Charadriiformes |
| Family | Stercorariidae | Stercorariidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 75.9 cm (29.9 in) | 77.4 cm (30.5 in) |
| Weight | 1387.5 g (48.94 oz) | 1315.0 g (46.39 oz) |
| Diet | -- | -- |
| Clutch Size | 1-2 | 1-2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Conservation Status
Least Concern
Chilean Skua
Least Concern
South Polar Skua
About These Birds
Chilean Skua
Chilean Skua, 52–58 cm, is a large, heavily built skua of southernmost South America and Cape Horn islands. Warm reddish-brown tones, pale face. Predator and scavenger at penguin and cormorant colonies; piracy also common. Partially migratory; winters at sea in the Pacific and Atlantic.
South Polar Skua
South Polar Skua, 50–55 cm, breeds on the Antarctic continent — one of the world's most southerly breeding birds, recorded at the South Pole. Strong migratory; winters in the North Pacific and North Atlantic, crossing the equator. Polymorphic; feeds on penguins, fish, and krill. Circumglobal migration.