File:Brown Skua standing on sand - DPLA - 691388a657c320903e6dd9d83f13db20.jpg

35 mm slide; color. Scientific Classification: Kingdom: Animalia; Phylum: Chordata; Class: Aves; Order: Charadriiformes; Family: Stercoraridae; Genus: Stercorarius; Genus species: Stercorarius antarcticus. Animal characteristics: Head-Body Length: 51-66 cm. Location: southern South America. Identification: The Brown Skua is mostly dark to reddish-brown streaked with ochre or rufous. Its underside is uniformly colored. Its cap is brownish-black, and it has white wing flashes; Habitat: Moors and grasslands, high sea cliffs; Diet: Carnivore: shrimp, fish, rodents, bird eggs, chicks. Reproduction: Brown Skuas nest in loose colonies. The female lays two eggs, which both parents help to incubate for 26-32 days. Once hatched, only the female cares for the chicks. The chicks are capable of flight at age 40-50 days. Social Structure: Although they are solitary at sea, these birds will often congregate around areas with abundant food. Behavior: Brown Skuas will often chase other birds to steal their food; Status: No special status. Interesting Facts: The Brown Skua, from the Southern Oceans in the Southern Hemisphere, was formerly considered conspecific with the Great Skua of the North Atlantic, giving a "species" with representatives in both hemispheres and the only bird in the world to nest in both the Artic and the Antarctic; however, it is now known to be a separate species.