BirdsAroundWorld.comBrown skua
Stercorarius antarcticus
The Brown skua (Stercorarius antarcticus) is a bird found in Antarctica, Australia, Falkland Islands, South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands, New Zealand, South Africa, and 1 more countries. Rocky coasts of the sub-Antarctic and Antarctica. It eats small mammals and birds and dead animals (carrion). The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
See the Brown skua on the 3D globe →| Scientific name | Stercorarius antarcticus |
|---|---|
| Region | South America |
| Found in | Antarctica, Australia, Falkland Islands, South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands, New Zealand, South Africa, and 1 more countries |
🏡 Where the Brown skua lives
Rocky coasts of the sub-Antarctic and Antarctica.
🍽️ What it eats
- 🐭 Mammals & birds60%
- 🦴 Leftovers (carrion)40%
A rough guide to its diet over a year. Source: EltonTraits (Wilman et al. 2014).
Conservation status
Hear the Brown skua
Recorded by Fabrice Schmitt (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0), xeno-canto XC540748. Trimmed to a few seconds.
Questions about the Brown skua
Where does the Brown skua live?
The Brown skua lives in Antarctica, Australia, Falkland Islands, South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands, New Zealand, South Africa, and 1 more countries. Rocky coasts of the sub-Antarctic and Antarctica.
What does the Brown skua eat?
small mammals and birds (about 60%), dead animals (carrion) (about 40%). These are rough shares of its diet over a year, from the EltonTraits database.
Is the Brown skua endangered?
There are plenty of these birds. Its IUCN Red List category is Least Concern.
More birds from South America
Sources: IUCN Red List (via Wikidata), EltonTraits 1.0 (Wilman et al. 2014), GBIF sightings for countries, Wikipedia. Last updated 2026-10-19.