UK Wildlife

Arctic Skua Breeding and Kleptoparasitism

The arctic skua is a sleek, falcon-like seabird that breeds on northern Scottish moorland and island coasts, famous for its aerial piracy of terns and other seabirds.

Key Facts

Arctic skuas pursue and rob terns and other seabirds of their fish catches
UK breeding population around 2,100 pairs, mainly in Shetland, Orkney and Caithness
Occurs in pale, intermediate and dark colour forms across its range
Breeds on open moorland and heather near coast
Has declined significantly in Shetland, linked to sandeel population crashes

Welfare Considerations

Arctic skua declines in Shetland are linked to crashes in sandeel populations that reduced breeding success for the tern colonies they pirate. Climate change affecting North Sea sandeel distribution is driving both tern and skua declines.

What You Can Do

Support sustainable fisheries management to maintain sandeel populations in the North Sea
Visit Shetland breeding sites through organised access to minimise disturbance
Record arctic skua through BTO Birdtrack sea-watching and breeding counts