Chilean Skua

Identification

The Chilean skua is a large, distinctive predatory seabird with a wingspan of 130 to 138 centimetres. Its most striking feature is a dark cap that contrasts sharply with a cinnamon-coloured throat and lower face, along with prominent pale gold streaking on the face and neck. The bird's back, flanks, and cheeks are dark, while the underside is uniformly light, often with a dark pectoral collar extending from the back across the upper chest. The underside of the wings is characteristically cinnamon-coloured, though this may appear dull in some individuals. Adults have black legs, brown irises, and a small bluish bill with a dark tip. Juveniles are brighter-coloured than adults, with no light streaking, though they retain the strong cap. The Chilean skua appears notably more slender and compact in flight compared to the similar Falkland skua, with which it can be confused.

Range & Habitat

The Chilean skua is endemic to South America, occupying coastal habitats from central Peru to northern Argentina. It nests along the coasts between southern Chile and Cape Horn in Argentina, though its wintering range extends considerably northward into Brazil, where it exploits tropical coastal waters. Breeding adults show a strong preference for sandy coastline with beached kelp and freshwater streams. The species is also notably associated with southern hake fisheries in the fjords and channels of southern Chile, where fishing activity provides feeding opportunities. Interestingly, hybrids between the Chilean skua and the Falkland skua are known from southern Argentina where their ranges overlap.

Behaviour & Diet

Chilean skuas are highly opportunistic and adaptable feeders, consuming fish, other seabirds, scraps, and carrion. They are known to scavenge penguin meat and dumpster food, and actively steal fish from other seabirds. Their prey includes imperial cormorants, sooty shearwaters, blue petrels, white-chinned petrels, and Magellanic diving petrels, as well as the eggs and chicks of black-browed and grey-headed albatrosses. They also hunt larger prey including geese, cormorants, nutria, and seals, and consume crustaceans and barnacles. At breeding colonies, Chilean skuas are notably aggressive, with nesting parents attacking intruders from above—sometimes discharging excrement onto perceived threats. Intruders of the same species respond by faking leg injuries to signal submission. Their vocalisations are poorly documented, but at breeding colonies they perform a distinctive long-call consisting of ten to twelve short nasal barks described as almost goose-like in its deep, hoarse quality.

Best Time & Places to See It

The best time to observe Chilean skuas is during the Southern Hemisphere breeding season, from November to February or March, when they aggregate into colonies along sandy coasts. Key locations include coastal areas of southern Chile and Argentina, particularly around Cape Horn and the fjords and channels of southern Chile. The species is most reliably encountered in these breeding colonies, where birds concentrate in sandy coastal habitats. During non-breeding months, individuals disperse across a wider range extending north to Brazil and Peru, making them less predictable but still possible to spot along South American coasts.

Photography Tips

Photographing Chilean skuas presents excellent opportunities during the breeding season when birds are concentrated and active in colonies. Look for their distinctive dark cap and cinnamon facial markings, which provide strong compositional elements. In-flight photography is particularly rewarding, as the species' slender, compact silhouette and cinnamon wing undersides are diagnostic field marks. Capture their aggressive breeding behaviour, including the characteristic attack displays from above. Early morning light will best highlight the pale gold streaking on the face and neck and the contrast between the dark cap and lighter throat. Be aware that breeding birds are highly defensive—photograph from a safe distance and exercise caution, as they are known to discharge faeces on intruders.