Arctic Skuas v Arctic Terns
I’ve seen Arctic Skuas get into quite a few scraps this summer. There was the time one chased a Raven. Then the argument with a Great Skua.
On Papa Westray they’re back to doing what they do best; kleptoparasitism. Let me introduce you.
This is a dark form of the Arctic Skua:
![Arctic Skua on Papay - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)](https://www.thehallofeinar.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Papay-The-Hall-of-Einar-21-725x483.jpg)
They are nesting on Papa Westray and need a constant supply of fish for their youngsters.
Here’s the light form:
![Arctic Skua on Papay - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)](https://www.thehallofeinar.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Papay-The-Hall-of-Einar-19-725x484.jpg)
They are powerful and elegant fliers, more like falcons in their movement than anything else.
![Arctic Skua on Papay - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)](https://www.thehallofeinar.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Papay-The-Hall-of-Einar-20-725x408.jpg)
And here’s an Arctic Tern. They spend our summer here and then spend the Southern Hemisphere’s summer there. It’s a life of constant light and endless summer days.
![Arctic Tern on Papay - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)](https://www.thehallofeinar.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Papay-The-Hall-of-Einar-15-725x408.jpg)
They’re incredibly light but fabulously tough birds. It’s great to see them coming back from the sea with these small orange fish.
![Arctic Tern on Papay - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)](https://www.thehallofeinar.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Papay-The-Hall-of-Einar-12-725x363.jpg)
I’m not the only one who has noticed their fishing success, though. Here’s an Arctic Skua attempting to rob an Arctic Tern of its fish.
![Arctic Tern and Arctic Skua on Papay - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)](https://www.thehallofeinar.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Papay-The-Hall-of-Einar-10-725x408.jpg)
It’s flyway robbery.
![Arctic Tern on Papay - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)](https://www.thehallofeinar.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Papay-The-Hall-of-Einar-9-725x483.jpg)
The aggression isn’t all one way, though. The Terns attack the Skuas and mob them mercilessly.
There’s an Arctic Tern on its tail and it’s as mad as hell.
![Arctic Tern and Arctic Skua on Papay - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)](https://www.thehallofeinar.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Papay-The-Hall-of-Einar-26-725x363.jpg)
Aerial acrobatics are called for:
![Arctic Tern and Arctic Skua on Papay - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)](https://www.thehallofeinar.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Papay-The-Hall-of-Einar-27-725x483.jpg)
And so the chase continues, with the chaser becoming the chased and then the chaser.
![Arctic Tern and Arctic Skua on Papay - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)](https://www.thehallofeinar.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Papay-The-Hall-of-Einar-30-725x408.jpg)
It’s repeated in an endless cycle all day throughout the season.
Meanwhile a juvenile Arctic Tern flies past us calling and lands next to us. It’s the raising of this tiny bird which is at stake.
![Arctic Tern on Papay - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)](https://www.thehallofeinar.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Papay-The-Hall-of-Einar-2341-725x408.jpg)
Let’s hope it makes it around the world and back again.
With parents as feisty as these I have high hopes for its survival.