Stercorarius parasiticus. Arctic Skua.
1862-1873
John Gould, the Victorian era's premier bird illustrator, captures a tender family moment here, but don't let the fluffy chicks fool you—the Arctic Skua is a notorious pirate of the sky. The scientific name *Stercorarius parasiticus* hints at their favorite hobby: chasing other seabirds until they drop their food, which the skua then steals mid-air. In this hand-colored lithograph from his massive series 'The Birds of Great Britain,' Gould shows the sleek adults with their creamy necks standing guard over their dark, downy young. It's a beautiful snapshot of nature's most aggressive freeloaders.
- Technique
- Hand-colored lithograph