New England
Seabirds
             
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Razorbill
Alca
torda
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Breeding Plumage
A handsome bird, the Razorbill in breeding plumage has a white
horizontal line on the face. ( Sibley calls it a white loral line.) and a
vertical white line on the bill. Notice the whole head is black. The lining of
the mouth is bright yellow. The black eye is not visible in this photograph
taken by Emmalee Tarry on Machias Seal Island.
Nesting Behavior
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Razorbills lay their eggs on bare rocks. They prefer broad
ledges with cracks or crevices.
These birds were photographed by Emmalee
Tarry on Machias Seal Island. |
Winter Plumage
In winter plumage, the Razorbill has a white patch behind the
dark eye and loses the white face line.
The bill is all black and
smaller than in breeding plumage.
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These four photos of the winter plumage Razorbill was taken
by Gail O'Brien and used with her permission. All photos remain the property of
the photographer.
The pictures were taken April 29, 2006 in the New York
State Boat Channel, just north of the Jones Beach Theatre around 40 Degrees 36
minutes 13 seconds North, 73 Degrees 31 minutes 17 seconds West. P
Where To See
Razorbills are the most common Alcid seen from land or on the water
in the winter. They congregate in flocks of 10-20 birds and can be seen flying
from Andrews Point on Cape Ann in Massachusetts in winter. This is probably the
easiest place for North American listers to dependably find this bird. For a
better birding experience, see the Razorbill on Machias Seal Island in Maine.
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