Subject: APZ000a29v

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• by Icecrasher

  very sad! is it possible, that the sukas kill other birds/penguins?

  Posted July 13, 2016 6:02 PM

• by gardenmaeve moderator

  All animals need food. Skuas will eat a penguin chick or egg when they can. The very big bird is a Southern Giant petrel, and they can attack even an adult penguin.

  Posted July 13, 2016 6:07 PM

• by gardenmaeve moderator

  In this case, a Macaroni penguin chick has become food for the Southern giant petrel and perhaps 5 skuas. The brave adult Macaroni must be the parent.

  Posted July 13, 2016 6:10 PM

• by gardenmaeve moderator

  Skuas and petrels have chicks to feed also. Life in the wilds of Antarctica can be hard.

  Posted July 13, 2016 6:12 PM

• by Icecrasher

  thanks for the information - I thought, Southern Giant Petrels have a white chest

  Posted July 13, 2016 6:17 PM

• by gardenmaeve moderator

  Of course this petrel is facing away from us so we don't see the breast. The brown phase petrels have a brown breast. White ones have a white breast.

  Posted July 13, 2016 6:46 PM

• by gardenmaeve moderator

  Here is information and photos of the Southern giant petrel: http://www.arkive.org/southern-giant-petrel/macronectes-giganteus/image-G131653.html

  Posted July 13, 2016 6:50 PM

• by AvastMH moderator

  Hope the parent was OK

  Posted July 14, 2016 1:01 PM

• by coldcounter

  I can see seven skuas in there and the petrel. You are right about the petrel being aggressive when opportunity arises as I watched as

  Posted July 14, 2016 2:24 PM

• by coldcounter

  a petrel took on an adult king ... the king escaped into the water but I suspect may not have survived. For sure the petrel would get first

  Posted July 14, 2016 2:25 PM

• by coldcounter

  go .. before the skuas .. also the petrels were of a great variety of colour, light and dark and not always with a white breast in January.

  Posted July 14, 2016 2:27 PM

• by AvastMH moderator

  Thanks for your in knowledge of experience 😄

  Posted July 14, 2016 4:08 PM

• by shparmet

  The red near the front is a dead bird of some kind.

  Posted July 16, 2016 3:10 AM

• by gardenmaeve moderator

  Yes, not to be marked. Also a Southern giant petrel and several Brown skuas- all should be marked. More information in comments below.

  Posted July 16, 2016 9:58 AM

• by grannieannie

  One brave adult Macaroni in amongst those predators!

  Posted August 4, 2016 7:00 PM

• by AvastMH moderator

  Sure is - and a sad sight for it. Still - some skua chicks ate that day 😕

  Posted August 4, 2016 9:13 PM

• by ilijasims

  corpse oO

  Posted August 7, 2016 12:07 PM

• by AvastMH moderator

  We don't see corpses that often @ilijasims . But nature is all about food chains and the penguins are predated by seals and other birds.

  Posted August 7, 2016 1:09 PM

• by gardenmaeve moderator

  #predation

  Posted August 16, 2016 11:49 AM

• by sheshe2

  What is that on the left side?

  Posted September 10, 2016 5:08 PM

• by yshish moderator, translator

  @sheshe2 If you read the previous comment (below yours) you could find the answer. It is a chick corpes being eaten by Skuas

  Posted September 10, 2016 5:26 PM

• by Silja

  Such a sad picture. 😦

  Posted September 19, 2016 3:07 PM

• by gardenmaeve moderator

  @Silja - Yes, if we think only of penguins. If you consider the needs of the skua and petrel chicks, see the circle of life continuing. 😃

  Posted September 19, 2016 3:53 PM

• by asb2718

  I can just quote Tennyson here: nature, red in tooth and claw

  Posted September 21, 2016 8:53 AM

• by AvastMH moderator

  I didn't know that was Tennyson - it's good to know 😃

  Posted September 21, 2016 9:30 AM

• by asb2718

  This is from his poem 'In Memorium A. H. H.'
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_Memoriam_A.H.H.

  Posted September 21, 2016 1:23 PM

• by asb2718

  phrases that have now become cliches.

  Posted September 21, 2016 1:24 PM

• by AvastMH moderator

  Ah - I am wiser now - thank you @gardenmaeve 😄

  Posted September 21, 2016 6:12 PM

• by gardenmaeve moderator

  You're welcome...but for what? 😃

  Posted September 21, 2016 8:16 PM

• by AvastMH moderator

  For mentioning about the Tennyson connection 😃

  Posted September 21, 2016 10:09 PM

• by gardenmaeve moderator

  Oh, I see- that was our friendly volunteer. asb2718 😉

  Posted September 21, 2016 10:20 PM

• by AvastMH moderator

  Oh - silly me - thanks @asb2718 😄

  Posted September 22, 2016 4:48 PM

• by Norsetroll76

  The large bird on the left is a petrel? Only thing I can think of is: y'all come - and they did.

  Posted September 25, 2016 11:26 PM

• by Norsetroll76

  What is a gathering of skua - such as a murder of crows or charm of hummingbirds?

  Posted September 26, 2016 4:11 AM

• by coldcounter

  One source says "An unbelievable soothsayer’s head of skuas" !!!, another says "a shishkab of skuas" and then there is "a robbery of skuas"

  Posted September 26, 2016 6:04 AM

• by coldcounter

  All of which are wonderful choices 😃 😃 and don't get started on pengs - personally I like an icing (or a shiver) of penguins 😃

  Posted September 26, 2016 6:06 AM

• by gardenmaeve moderator

  Yes, @Norsetroll - petrel. I like "a skullduggery of skuas".

  Posted September 26, 2016 10:06 AM

• by agronow

  Dead baby

  Posted September 30, 2016 1:48 PM

• by gardenmaeve moderator

  Sadly, yes. We don't mark dead animals.

  Posted September 30, 2016 2:38 PM

• by bello66

  So sad 😦 Willthose birds attacka grown penguin? The one stood by doesn't seem too worried 😦

  Posted November 7, 2016 5:42 PM

• by gardenmaeve moderator

  The Southern giant petrels could attack an adult penguin, but usually they want the chicks.

  Posted November 7, 2016 6:02 PM