Brown Skua vs South Polar Skua

Brown Skua

Stercorarius antarcticus

Large1.7 kgMarine

This is the heaviest species of skua and rivals the largest gulls, the great black-backed gull and glaucous gull, as the heaviest species in the shorebird order although not as large in length or wingspan. It is 52–64 cm (20–25 in) in length, 126–160 cm (50–63 in) in wingspan and has a body mass of 1.2–2.18 kg (2.6–4.8 lb). S. a. hamiltoni measured on Gough Island, weighed an average of 1.43 kg (3.2 lb) in 9 males and 1.65 kg (3.6 lb) in 9 females. S. a. lonnbergi measured in the Chatham Islands weighed an average of 1.73 kg (3.8 lb) in 30 males and an average of 1.93 kg (4.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: River Ahlquist · CC BY 4.0

South Polar Skua

Stercorarius maccormicki

1.3 kgMarine

The south polar skua is a large bird (though small compared to other skuas sometimes placed in Catharacta) that measures around 53 cm (21 in) in length. Adults are greyish brown above, and have a whitish (pale morph) or straw-brown (intermediate morph) head and underparts, and the contrast between head and body makes it easy to separate from similar species with good views. Juveniles and adult dark morphs are harder to distinguish from their relatives, and more subjective or difficult-to-observe criteria, such as the colder brown plumage and blue bill base, must be used.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recorded by steve · Call · Cuverville Island, Antarctica · CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Алексей Логинов · CC BY 4.0

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Brown Skua and South Polar Skua.