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Glen Tepke | all galleries >> Trips >> Europe >> Great Skua > Great Skua harassing Great Black-backed Gull
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Great Skua harassing Great Black-backed Gull

Stercorarius skua (right) and Larus marinus (left)

Atlantic west of Isles of Scilly, United Kingdom, 6 September 2004

Canon 10D, Canon 100-400 f/4.5-5.6 IS


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Glen Tepke21-Dec-2006 06:01
Jamie,

Thanks for your comment. I assume the skua was harassing the gull in an attempt to get the gull to regurgitate food. That is a common feeding technique for skuas. In this case, the skua just made one pass at the gull and then moved on. I don't think it had anything to do with nesting territories, since this occured several miles out at sea. I don't recall ever seeing any interactions between ravens and GBB Gulls. Most of my experience with GBB Gulls is in New England, where ravens are very uncommon, especially on the coast.

Glen
jamie middleton 11-Dec-2006 22:23
Why was the skua harassing the gull? Was the gull near the skua's nest? Did the gull fight back? What was the outcome of this avian skirmish? Also, have you ever witnessed any skirmishes, either in the air or on the ground over food, between grat black backs and ravens? If so, please tell me of some of your observations, ie which species was the dominant aggressor etc.