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Razorbill
last update: Mar 24, 2009 12:19 PM
Latin name: Alca torda
Population: 1.5 million individuals
Cites classified: Least Concern
Where found: North Atlantic Ocean from Canada and New England to northwestern Russia
Age/ life expectancy: 13 years
Wingspan: 60-69 cm
Length: 38-43 cm
Weight: 505-890 g
Mating/Breeding: Razorbills usually nest in large colonies and lay their eggs on bare rock or ground. Each partner will forage, then come home to take over with caring for the egg or young. They may well fly more than 100 km out to sea to feed when during egg incubation, but when provisioning the young, they forage closer to the nesting grounds, some dozen kilometers away, and often in shallower water
Eggs: one egg that is whitish with dark blotches around large end
Hibernation: winters at sea from Newfoundland south to New Jersey and as far south as the western Mediterranean in Europe
Hunting Habits: underwater dives, using wings to swim
Feed on: fish, like sandeels, herring, and capelin, also some crustaceans and marine worms
Predators: gulls, red fox, and ravens are predators of the eggs and chicks
Colour/Body: Adult birds are black on their upperparts and white on the breast and belly. The thick black bill has a blunt end. The tail is pointed and longer than that of a Murre. In winter, the throat and upper chest turn white.
Interesting Trivia:
- The oldest known Razorbill was a female banded as a nestling in 1962 and resighted, breeding, in 2000, 38 years later.
