Razorbill

Fascinating facts about the Razorbill

• Razorbills can live far beyond the typical 13-year span; a bird ringed in the UK in 1967 was still alive at least 41 years later, setting the species record.
• Razorbills normally feed at about 25 m (80 ft) deep, yet they can plunge to 120 m (395 ft) when needed. Their dives average 35 seconds, which at an underwater speed of 1.5 m s⁻¹ translates to a typical foraging depth of roughly 25 m.
• Global razorbill numbers are estimated between 838,000 and 1,600,000 mature birds, with roughly 60-70 % of the entire population breeding in Iceland. Half of all breeding pairs are found there, and colonies such as Látrabjarg (≈230,000 pairs).
• Razorbills form lifelong monogamous bonds, with each pair sharing incubation duties and feeding their single chick together. During the 30-day pre-laying period, a pair may mate up to 80 times to guarantee fertilisation.

Sources

Every fact above was checked against these pages, and kept only where one of them states it.

• Wikipedia

At a glance

About the Razorbill

In the turbulent waters of the North Atlantic, the Razorbill glides with effortless elegance, its sleek black and white feathers glistening like polished stone as it dives and weaves through the waves with a fluidity born of centuries of adaptation. With its distinctive black beak and piercing gaze, this charismatic bird navigates the treacherous shoreline with a quiet confidence, its very existence a testament to the enduring power of life in the face of an unforgiving environment. As it takes to the air, its wings beat with a rapid, staccato rhythm, a whirlwind of motion that belies the gentle, almost melancholic beauty of its haunting calls.

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