Winter Territory Occupation and Behavior of Great Skuas at the Chatham Islands, New Zealand

Abstract

In early July 1986,27 out of 36 skua territories examined were occupied by temtorial Great Skuas Stercoranus skua lonnbergi at South East Island in the Chathams group east of New Zealand. Eighty-two per cent of the skuas present on territories during the breeding season were also present on territory in July. On 11 territories, skuas were seen to exhibit specific temtorial behaviours typically seen during the breeding season - albeit at lower intensity and frequency. On one temtory the establishment of a new pair bond was observed. The most abundant and frequently encountered prey remains on temtories were Goose-barnacles Lepas australis, which do not appear in skua diets during the breeding season on South East Island.