Razorbill (Alca torda).
The razorbill is a compact sturdy bird. The colonies of the razorbill, which is present all year round, are scattered along north and western coasts. The nest is most likely to be located on a rock ledge or crevice on a rocky foreshore and less frequently on an open cliff. The razorbill only comes to land to breed. At other times it is seen over adjacent seas.
The razorbill patters along the surface while gaining speed for take off. Once airborne it is a strong flier with rapid wing beats. Groups are often seen in rafts riding out the swell.
The Razorbill is mainly found breeding in coastal sites from Spitsbergen , through Scandinavia to Iceland , Britain and northwest France . In winter it is found as far south as Spain and Morocco . Beyond Europe , it is found in Greenland and on the east coast of North America south to Maine.
Apart from its deep, blunt bill, it is difficult to tell apart from Guillemot Uria aalge especially at a distance. Its small and rather narrow wings beat rapidly to sustain flight while additional lift is given by the spreading of the tail feathers as can be seen in the second photo. From below, it has a whiter “armpit” than the Guillemot.
It feeds on fish which are mainly caught by surface diving after the bird has spotted its prey by swimming around with its head under water. Like the Puffin Fratercula arctica , it holds fish such as sand eels crosswise in its bill. In some areas it steals food from Puffins and other auks.
It lays its egg on a sheltered cliff ledge and, while it does not build a nest, it usually surrounds its egg with small stones. It only lays one egg per year.
