• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Distribution map
• Reference and further resources

Justification of Red List category
This species has a very large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km² combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). The population trend appears to be stable, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size may be small, but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

Population justification
Del Hoyo et al. (1996) estimate the population size at several thousand pairs. Therefore, the population size is tentatively placed here in the range 2,500-9,999 mature individuals, although this could be an underestimate.

Trend justification
The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

This predatory species ranges from central Peru round Tierra del Fuego to north Argentina, breeding from central Chile to the southern tip of Argentina (del Hoyo et al. 1996).

The Chilean Skua is a marine species occurring especially in channels and straits of coastal South America. It breeds on islands and remote mainland coastal areas. Breeding begins in November, with individuals forming colonies of high densities (del Hoyo et al. 1996).

It is considered likely that the eggs and chicks of this species are harvested for food, but the extent of this threat is unknown (Furness et al. 2018).

Text account compilers
Calvert, R., Bennett, S., Ekstrom, J., Butchart, S., Harding, M., Martin, R., Stuart, A.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Chilean Skua Catharacta chilensis. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/chilean-skua-catharacta-chilensis on 22/12/2024.
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 22/12/2024.