If
there’s one bird not to mess with on Gough, it’s the Tristan Skua. Despite
being dwarfed by our larger albatross species and Giant Petrels, they are one
of the most powerful predators on the island. And it’s not just the other
wildlife that falls victim to the skuas; after just a few months in the South
Atlantic we have been clattered on the head more than a few times by these
territorial birds. This is because over the last month their eggs have been
hatching and small chicks have been appearing around the island. So we can’t
really blame the skuas for their attacks as they are excellent parents, simply protecting their chicks. It’s just unfortunate that a number of pairs
choose to make their nests on the paths, or very close to them!
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What
you looking at!? (David Kinchin-Smith)
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Fleeing for our lives (Em Witcutt)
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Tristan Skuas are very similar in appearance and behaviour
to Great Skuas (or Bonxies) back at home in the UK. They are thought of as a
subspecies of the Subantarctic Skua and Falkland Skua and, fortunately, are one
species which isn’t threatened out here. Gough is home to about 1000 pairs with
another few hundred non-breeders which gather in groups around the island
called ‘clubs’.
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| Our helipad is one of our busiest skua ‘clubs’
(David Kinchin-Smith) |
Skuas are only really capable of incubating two eggs, which
they do so by resting them on their feet. Both adults take their turn, with
incubation lasting about a month. We discovered our first eggs on 1st
October. Our chicks will fledge after a couple of months of care from their
parents, being fed a wide variety of Gough Island seabird delicacies. Adults
employ a number of tactics to obtain this food, be it catching birds in flight
during the day, walking around and listening to movement at night or even
digging up burrows of our underground species. Our chicks will eventually join our skua
‘clubs’ and some birds may even remain on the island for the rest of the year - one of the few species to do so.
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An incubating bird earlier this year (David Kinchin-Smith)
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Just one week old (David Kinchin-Smith)
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It is understandable to have mixed feelings towards Tristan
Skuas after discovering their prey carcasses all over the island. However, they
are the consummate survivor, devoted parents and need to feed like anything
else. They are great birds and have definitely earned my respect.....and that’s
not just because of the bruises on my head!
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Displaying - wings raised and raucous call (David Kinchin-Smith)
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David
Reference.
Ryan, P. et al. (2007) Field Guide to the Animals and Plants of Tristan da Cunha and Gough Island
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