Subantarctic skuaHākoakoa

The subantarctic skua is a true pirate. They spend the summer breeding season on subantarctic islands and the Chathams, then migrate north and spend winter on the wing at sea. Skuas will often chase albatrosses and petrels in high-speed pursuits, forcing them to disgorge their recent meals which the skua quickly gobble up. On land, skuas continue to terrorise their fellow birds – eating penguin chicks and eggs, and adult and fledgling petrels. Some skuas prefer to hang out around seal or sea lion colonies, picking at dead pups, placentas and even faeces. Subantarctic skuas are threatened mostly by fisheries bycatch and climate change.