The findings suggest that these birds have very high levels of cognitive abilities. While it is only natural for birds living among people to learn to differentiate individual humans, researchers have found that skuas living in remote Antarctica too can recognise people who had previously accessed the nests to measure their eggs and nestlings. The findings suggest that these birds have very high levels of cognitive abilities. "I had to defend myself against the skuas' attack," said one of the researchers Yeong-Deok Han from Inha University in Incheon, South Korea. "When I was with other researchers, the birds flew over me and tried to hit me. Even when I changed my field clothes, they followed me. The birds seemed to know me no matter what I wear," Han noted. The research team performed a series of experiments. The researchers checked the nests once a week to monitor the breeding status, and the skuas attacked at closer distances with repeated visits of the researchers.
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