Bird · GBIF taxon 8277073
Razorbill
Alca tordaAlso known as Razor-billed Auk, Lesser Auk
Razorbills are agile pursuit-divers that fly underwater using compact wings, plunging to depths exceeding 100 meters in search of schooling forage fish. Pairs mate for life and nest in noisy colonies on rocky sea cliffs, greeting each other with ritualized head-bowing and bill-tapping displays. At around three weeks old, chicks leap from high ledges into the churning ocean below and swim far offshore alongside their fathers before they are fully fledged.
SeabirdPelagicColonial
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Near ThreatenedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNear ThreatenedRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Lesser Sandeel
- Atlantic Herring
- Capelin
Predators
- Great Black-backed Gull
- Peregrine Falcon
- Arctic Fox
ThreatsOverfishing, climate-driven prey shifts, oil spills, and commercial gillnet entanglement
HabitatsOpen ocean waters, rocky sea cliffs, boulder screes, and offshore islands
Life span20–25 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderCharadriiformes
- FamilyAlcidae
- GenusAlca
- SpeciesAlca torda
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe from clifftops or boats at a respectful distance.
- What to notice
- Look for a chunky black-and-white seabird with a deep, laterally compressed bill marked by a bright white vertical line.
- Support conservation
- Maintain at least 50 meters distance on foot or by boat, avoiding sudden movements near active cliff nests.
Responsible observation
- Viewing Etiquette: Stay well back from cliff edges and keep noise minimal to avoid flushing nesting pairs.
- Best Timing: Visit breeding cliffs between May and July when parents carry mouthfuls of fish to young.
- Optics: Use a spotting scope or telephoto lens from a boat to study bill markings without disturbance.
Frequent Companion Andreas Trepte / CC BY-SA 2.5 · cc-by-sa
Predator (c) Mila C., some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Mila C. · cc-by
Same Family Charles J. Sharp / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
Extinct Relative no rights reserved, uploaded by wilderbombyx · cc0
Same Family (c) Christoph Moning, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Christoph Moning · cc-by
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