a rare visitor to south island waters

Size
Length: 50-55 cm, Weight: 600-900 g
Lifespan
15-20 years
Diet
Carnivorous and kleptoparasitic. Feeds on fish krill offal and seabird eggs and chicks. Steals food from other seabirds. Scavenges at penguin colonies.
Habitat
Open ocean and Antarctic coastal waters. Breeds on Antarctic coastal cliffs and ice-free headlands. Nests on ground in scattered pairs.
Range
Breeds on coastal Antarctica. Winters in North Atlantic off Canada and Greenland. In New Zealand a rare visitor to offshore waters primarily South Island coast.
Endemism
Visitor
Main Threats
Climate change affecting Antarctic breeding habitat and reducing prey availability. Incidental bycatch in longline fishing gear. Pollution including plastic and chemical contaminants.
Population
Global population estimated at 10000-20000 breeding pairs. In New Zealand a rare visitor to offshore waters most commonly seen from South Island coast.
Conservation Status
data_deficient
Human Risk
caution
Handling Note
aggressive near nests, can dive-bomb and draw blood
Conservation Note
Rare vagrant to New Zealand waters from Antarctic breeding grounds; not assessed for conservation status.
Te Ao Māori
The south polar skua has no recognised Māori name. It is a rare visitor from Antarctica. Skuas were known to Māori as hakoakoa. These are birds of the open ocean. The south polar skua with its long migrations between poles represents the vastness of the Southern Ocean. It symbolises the connections between Antarctica and New Zealand. The association is distant. It remains symbolic. The link is migratory. It persists.
A predator of the frozen south that sometimes visits New Zealand waters during its long migration between poles. The south polar skua breeds on the coasts of Antarctica. It feeds on fish krill and the eggs and chicks of penguins. It is a pirate a scavenger and a killer all rolled into one dark-feathered package. It does not apologise for any of these roles. The behaviour is brutal. The survival is assured. The plumage is variable. This makes identification challenging. Some birds are dark grey-brown all over. They look almost black. Others are pale with a dark cap and a white belly. The bird is difficult to identify at sea. It looks very similar to the brown skua. The differences are subtle. A paler belly. A different head shape. The distinction requires care. The observation must be precise. The error is common. Feeding involves fish and krill. The bird steals from other seabirds whenever possible. It also eats carrion and seabird eggs. A south polar skua on the Antarctic coast is a threat to every penguin in the colony. It waits. It watches. It strikes when the parent leaves. The timing is critical. The opportunity is seized. The predation is efficient. The colony suffers. The skua benefits. Flight is powerful and direct. Deep steady wingbeats carry it forward. A south polar skua in a storm is in its element. It rides the wind. It never lands. The weather is not an obstacle. It is a tool. The bird uses the turbulence. It maintains altitude. The control is absolute. The endurance is high. In New Zealand these birds are rare visitors. They are most commonly seen from the South Island coast during the winter months. From May to August. Birds have wandered north from Antarctica. The occurrence is infrequent. The distance is significant. The presence is accidental. The sighting is notable. This species migrates to the North Atlantic after breeding. It breeds in Antarctica during the southern summer. Then it flies north across the equator. It spends the northern summer off Canada and Greenland. That is a journey of 20000 kilometres each way. The distance is immense. The effort is relentless. The navigation is innate. The cycle is annual. The population is stable. The south polar skua is not endangered. The numbers are sufficient. The range is vast. The resilience is high. The status is secure. For now. The call is a harsh chattering 'kee-kee-kee'. It is often given in flight when another bird approaches its territory. The sound is aggressive. It signals defence. It warns intruders. The noise carries. The message is clear. Confusion with the brown skua is common. The south polar is slightly smaller. It has a paler belly. The brown skua is heavier darker and more aggressive. The distinction is morphological. It is also behavioural. The identification requires attention. The features are specific. The comparison is necessary. This is a bird of the ice and the cold. It is a visitor from the south. It serves as a reminder that Antarctica is not so far away. The connection is geographic. It is also ecological. The distance is relative. The bird bridges the gap. It carries on.