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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Songkhran" data-source="post: 1268986" data-attributes="member: 96691">I've also been trying to work out the structure of Skua attacks on Terns. When two Skuas go up together to attack a Tern what is the relation between the two Skuas, since the Tern is always only carrying one item of food, one Skua is inevitably going to miss out on a meal, however is there some kind of agreement that the Skua that lost the time before will lead the attack next time? Again interesting to wonder how Skuas decide to form a team, i'm fairly sure these arent birds that are related and have travelled from breeding ground together as i have noted different Skua species orchestrating attacks - Bonxie and Pom, and a brief half-hearted attack involving Long-tailed and Arctic.The length of attacks is also interesting i have noted long sustained attacks by Arctic Skuas but also brief disinterested attacks. Does the Skua realise that the Tern is a strong bird and not worth a sustained chase or are these almost playful forays and do not represent genuine attacks. Similarly i have seen Terns relinquish their meals almost immediately (where i feel no sympathy for the Tern whatsoever!) or hang onto their food for up to around 40 seconds. The Terns reaction has also been revealing, on a number of occasions after the Skua has given up the ghost i have noticed the Terns continue to career around as if unaware the attack is over , almost on autopilot. Another interesting thing i noticed recently was sustained kleptoparasitism involving a team of three Gannets chasing a Kittiwake - although they were not successful.</blockquote>

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