Data Zone
Taxonomic note
Catharacta antarctica (del Hoyo and Collar 2014) was previously placed in the genus Stercorarius, following Chu et al. (2009), and split as S. antarcticus and S. lonnbergi, following Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993).
Taxonomic source(s)
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A. and Fishpool, L.D.C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.
| Critically Endangered | Endangered | Vulnerable |
|---|---|---|
| - | - | - |
| Year | Category | Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Least Concern | |
| 2016 | Least Concern | |
| 2014 | Least Concern | |
| 2012 | Not Recognised | |
| 2008 | Not Recognised | |
| 2004 | Not Recognised | |
| 2000 | Not Recognised | |
| 1994 | Not Recognised | |
| 1988 | Not Recognised |
| Migratory status | full migrant | Forest dependency | does not normally occur in forest |
| Land-mass type | Average mass | - |
| Estimate | Data quality | |
|---|---|---|
| Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident) | 135,000,000 km2 | |
| Extent of Occurrence (non-breeding) | 86,100,000 km2 | |
| Severely fragmented? | no | - |
| Estimate | Data quality | Derivation | Year of estimate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population size | 26000-28000 mature individuals | poor | estimated | 1996 |
| Population trend | decreasing | - | suspected | - |
| Generation length | 17.1 years | - | - | - |
Population justification: The total population has been estimated to number c.13,000-14,000 pairs (del Hoyo et al. 1996), assumed to equate to 26,000-28,000 mature individuals, or 39,000-42,000 individuals in total.
Trend justification: The largest known colony of the nominate race, C. antarctica antarctica, has undergone a 47% decline in the last 5 years, as such the species is suspected to be in decline, but the overall magnitude of decline is uncertain.
| Country/Territory | Presence | Origin | Resident | Breeding visitor | Non-breeding visitor | Passage migrant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angola | extant | uncertain | ||||
| Antarctica | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Argentina | extant | native | ||||
| Australia | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Bouvet Island (to Norway) | extant | native | yes | |||
| Brazil | extant | uncertain | ||||
| Chile | extant | uncertain | ||||
| Falkland Islands (Malvinas) | extant | native | ||||
| French Southern Territories | extant | native | yes | |||
| Heard Island and McDonald Islands (to Australia) | extant | native | yes | |||
| India | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Iran, Islamic Republic of | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Maldives | extant | native | ||||
| New Zealand | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Norfolk Island (to Australia) | extant | native | ||||
| Oman | extant | vagrant | yes | |||
| Seychelles | extant | native | ||||
| South Africa | extant | native | yes | |||
| South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Sri Lanka | extant | native | ||||
| St Helena (to UK) | extant | uncertain | yes | |||
| Uruguay | extant | native | yes |
| Country/Territory | IBA Name |
|---|---|
| Antarctica | Signy Island |
| Australia | Macquarie Island |
| French Southern Territories | Île aux Cochons |
| French Southern Territories | Île de l'Est |
| Heard Island and McDonald Islands (to Australia) | Heard and McDonald Islands |
| South Africa | Prince Edward Islands Special Nature Reserve |
| South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands | South Georgia - mainland, islands, islets and stacks |
| South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands | South Sandwich Islands |
| St Helena (to UK) | Gough Island |
| St Helena (to UK) | Nightingale Island group |
| Habitat (level 1) | Habitat (level 2) | Importance | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grassland | Subantarctic | major | breeding |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | Sea Cliffs and Rocky Offshore Islands | major | breeding |
| Marine Intertidal | Rocky Shoreline | suitable | breeding |
| Marine Intertidal | Shingle and/or Pebble Shoreline and/or Beaches | suitable | breeding |
| Marine Intertidal | Tidepools | suitable | breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Macroalgal/Kelp | suitable | non-breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Macroalgal/Kelp | suitable | breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Pelagic | major | non-breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Pelagic | major | breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Seagrass (Submerged) | suitable | non-breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Seagrass (Submerged) | suitable | breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Subtidal Loose Rock/pebble/gravel | suitable | non-breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Subtidal Loose Rock/pebble/gravel | suitable | breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Subtidal Rock and Rocky Reefs | suitable | breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Subtidal Rock and Rocky Reefs | suitable | non-breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Subtidal Sandy | suitable | non-breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Subtidal Sandy | suitable | breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Subtidal Sandy-Mud | suitable | non-breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Subtidal Sandy-Mud | suitable | breeding |
| Marine Oceanic | Epipelagic (0-200m) | suitable | non-breeding |
| Marine Oceanic | Mesopelagic (200-1000m) | suitable | non-breeding |
| Altitude | Occasional altitudinal limits |
| Threat (level 1) | Threat (level 2) | Impact and Stresses | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases | Problematic native species/diseases - Phalcoboenus australis | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Slow, Significant Declines | Low Impact: 5 | ||||||
|
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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Brown Skua Catharacta antarctica. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/brown-skua-catharacta-antarctica on 26/12/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 26/12/2024.