Great skua

The great skua is a relatively new arrival to Runde. It arrived at the island as late as 1980, and since closely follows the activity of the gannet colony.

The great skua is highly territorial, and if one gets too close to its nest, they will not hesitate to attack. We can thus call them the mountain ranger!

Today, we have up to 60 breeding pairs on the island, the largest colony in continental Norway. The great skua is brown with a white-speckled coat, with white patches under the wings. If you see the great skua from a distance, the silhouette can resemble a seagull, with pointed wing tips and a slender body. On the way up towards “Lundeura”, it is not unusual to see the great skua sitting in the marshland. This bird is only aggressive if it feels threatened - if you keep your distance, you don't have to be afraid!

The great skua has a special method to get its food. It often chases and harasses the gannets until they regurgitate and give up their catch. By stealing food from the gannets, the skua makes good use of the increasing number of gannets on Runde.

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