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South polar skua
South polar skua (Stercorarius maccormicki).
More about this image
The south polar skua is the most southerly bird in the world. Although they live around the coastal edges of Antarctica, they have been seen flying over the South Pole, over 1,575 kilometers (850 miles) from the coast. They are large birds, measuring approximately 21 inches (53 centimeters) in length.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) runs the U.S. Antarctic Program (USAP). In addition to maintaining three U.S. research stations on the continent, USAP supports research projects in an array of scientific disciplines including aeronomy and astrophysics, biology and medicine, geology and geophysics, glaciology, and ocean and climate systems. Outreach such as the Antarctic Artists and Writers program and education programs are also supported.
For more information about USAP, visit the program's website. [Note: Please see "Special Restrictions" below regarding use of this image.] (Date of Image: January 2005)
Credit: Photo by Henry Kaiser, NSF
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