Head to head
Kelp Gull vs South Polar Skua
Kelp Gull
VS South Polar Skua
Both seabirds range widely across the Southern Hemisphere, but one pushes furthest south of any bird alive while the other spreads furthest across coastlines.
| Kelp Gull | South Polar Skua | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Larus dominicanus | Stercorarius maccormicki |
| Range | Southern Hemisphere coastlines worldwide | Antarctica and the Southern Ocean |
| Notable behaviour | Pecks skin and blubber from living whales | Recorded closer to the South Pole than any other bird |
| Diet | Omnivore, highly opportunistic | Omnivore, steals food and preys on penguin eggs and chicks |
| Migration | Not documented as migrating far | Migrates as far as the Northern Hemisphere |
| Conservation status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Population trend | Stable, increasing in some areas | Stable |
| Habitat | Ocean, coastal | Ocean, polar |
Kelp Gull vs South Polar Skua: common questions
Which one has been observed attacking living whales?
The kelp gull is the one documented doing this, observed pecking chunks of skin and blubber directly from the backs of living southern right whales, a behaviour not associated with the south polar skua.
Which one has been recorded closest to the South Pole?
The south polar skua holds this record, having been recorded closer to the South Pole than any other bird species, a feat well beyond the coastal range of the kelp gull.
Which one migrates the farthest?
The south polar skua migrates further, travelling as far as the Northern Hemisphere outside the breeding season, while the kelp gull is not documented undertaking comparably long migrations.