Skuas (Stercorariidae)
Brown Skua (Catharacta antarctica) - HBW 3, p. 569
French: Labbe antarctique
German: Subantarktikskua
Spanish: Págalo Subantártico
Other common names: Southern (Great)/Subantarctic/Falkland Skua; Lönnberg's Skua (lonnbergi)
Taxonomy: Lestris antarcticus Lesson, 1831, Falkland Islands.
Sometimes considered conspecific with all three congeners, and all four probably form superspecies; genus frequently merged into Stercorarius. Often considered conspecific with C. skua, but differs more from C. skua than from C. maccormicki and C. chilensis (see page 557). Occasional hybridization reported with C. maccormicki and with C. chilensis, but hybrids very rare. Race hamiltoni differs only slightly from nominate antarctica. Race lonnbergi has been considered a separate species. Proposed races clarkei and .. View all taxonomy...
Sometimes considered conspecific with all three congeners, and all four probably form superspecies; genus frequently merged into Stercorarius. Often considered conspecific with C. skua, but differs more from C. skua than from C. maccormicki and C. chilensis (see page 557). Occasional hybridization reported with C. maccormicki and with C. chilensis, but hybrids very rare. Race hamiltoni differs only slightly from nominate antarctica. Race lonnbergi has been considered a separate species. Proposed races clarkei and intercedens invalid, and nowadays included in lonnbergi. Name lonnbergi sometimes erroneously spelt loennbergi, but removal of Scandinavian umlaut does not justify addition of “e”. Three subspecies currently recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution:
- antarctica (Lesson, 1831) - Falkland Is and SE Argentina; winters off SE South America.
- hamiltoni (Hagen, 1952) - Tristan da Cunha and Gough I; winters near breeding areas.
- lonnbergi Mathews, 1912 - Antarctic Peninsula, subantarctic islands of Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans; winters near or slightly dispersed from breeding areas.
- Least Concern Enlarge map
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A pair alarming at the nest Locality New Island, Falkland (Malvinas) Islands
(ssp antarctica)
Laurent Demongin 10 January 2008 3 years ago 4.5 -
An adult in long-call display Locality St Andrews Bay, South Georgia
(ssp lonnbergi)
Laurent Demongin 17 September 2008 3 years ago 4.5 -
Calls by several birds disputing for its feeding turn. Locality Salisbury Plain, South Georgia
(ssp lonnbergi)
Josep del Hoyo 9 April 2012 50 weeks ago 4 -
Calls of birds feeding around elephant seals Locality St Andrews Bay, South Georgia
(ssp lonnbergi)
Laurent Demongin 5 October 2008 3 years ago 4 -
A bird calling in flight Locality New Island, Falkland (Malvinas) Islands
(ssp antarctica)
Laurent Demongin 22 November 2008 3 years ago 4
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