Parasitic jaeger / Arctic skua / parasitic skua (Stercorarius parasiticus) flying over tundra. (Photo by: Arterra/UIG via Getty Images). ONE of Scotland’s rarest seabirds requires urgent action to halt its decline, according to a new report published yesterday. Arctic skuas are known as the “pirates of the seabird world” because they steal their food from other birds. The birds, which breed only in Scotland in the UK, take advantage of the diving skills of other seabirds to catch small fish such as sandeels, before giving chase and forcing the pursued bird to drop its meal. The State of the UK’s Birds 2020 (SUKB) report shows the species, which breeds in the far north of Scotland and Northern Isles, has suffered an 80% decline since 1986 and a 30% decline in the last decade.
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