Why are razorbills called razorbills?

How can you tell a male from a female razorbill?

Our of breeding plumage razorbills have white throats, cheeks, and ear coverts and there is no white line on the face. Females are slightly smaller than males and juveniles are similar to adults in winter plumage with dark streaks on the throat, cheeks, ear coverts, and sides of their breasts.

What is a razorbill (Alca torda)?

The razorbill ( Alca torda) is a colonial seabird that has distribution around North Atlantic. The bird’s body color is black with a white underside. They only comes to land to breed. The razorbill is a type of ocean bird mates for life, meaning they only choose one partner their whole life.

What kind of bird has a long bill and short tail?

Get Instant ID help for 650+ North American birds. A large, heavy-bodied seabird, similar in shape to a loon (but smaller and shorter necked). It has a long, pointed bill, short tail, and slender, pointed wings. Larger than a Pigeon or Black Guillemot, smaller than a Common Loon.

What is the scientific name of Alca torda?

Alca torda. The razorbill or lesser auk (Alca torda) is a colonial seabird in the monotypic genus Alca of the family Alcidae, the auks. It is the closest living relative of the extinct great auk (Pinguinis impennis).

What is Alca torda islandica?

Alca torda islandica, named by C.L. Brehm in 1831, occurs throughout Ireland, Great Britain, and northwestern France. The two subspecies differ slightly in bill measurements.

How much does an alcid bird weigh?

It is large for an alcid and its mean weight ranges from 505 to 890 g (17.8 to 31.4 oz). The female and male adults are very much alike, having only small differences such as wing length. The wing length of adult males ranges from 201–216 mm (7.9–8.5 in) while that of females ranges from 201 to 213 mm (7.9 to 8.4 in).

What is the taxonomy of the murre bird?

Taxonomy. The clade Alcini also includes the common murre ( Uria aalge ), the thick-billed murre ( Uria lomvia) and the dovekie ( Alle alle ). The genus name Alca is from Norwegian Alke, and torda is from törd a Gotland Swedish dialect word. Both terms refer to this species.

What is the difference between a murre and a Torda?

Razorbills and great auks are part of the tribe Alcini, which also includes the common murre ( Uria aalge ), the thick-billed murre ( Uria lomvia) and the dovekie ( Alle alle ). The genus name Alca is from Norwegian Alke, and torda is from törd a Gotland Swedish dialect word. Both terms refer to this species.

What are the characteristics of a alcid Penguin?

The alcids are sometimes referred to as the “penguins of the north” because of their similar body designs. All of the twenty or so species of alcids share a few basic characteristics: stout, streamlined bodies; short, narrow wings; thick, waterproof plumage; short tails; and feet set well back on the body.

What are the characteristics of alcids?

All of the twenty or so species of alcids share a few basic characteristics: stout, streamlined bodies; short, narrow wings; thick, waterproof plumage; short tails; and feet set well back on the body. Most species have a crisp, black and white plumage pattern, reminiscent of the flightless birds of the Southern Hemisphere.

What are Alcids?

To quote Nettleship (1996), alcids are “a highly specialized and ecologically diverse group of marine, wing-propelled pursuit-diving birds.”

What niche do Alcids fill?

22 species in northern hemisphere Alcids (or auks) fill a similar ecological niche in the northern hemisphere as penguins do in the southern hemisphere, except alcids can fly — and can fly long distances.

Are Alcids related to penguins?

Although the alcids have been associated with several different families in the last century—penguins (Spheniscidae) and grebes (Podicipedidae) among them—current taxonomy leaves Alcidae in a separate suborder of the Charadriiformes.

What are the adaptations of the Alcids?

While the alcids share many adaptations with their unrelated ecological counterparts in the Southern Hemisphere, the penguins (family Spheniscidae), the northern seabirds have almost all retained their flying abilities. The larger species lose all their flight feathers at once in a molt shortly after the summer breeding season.

Are there any alcids that fly like penguins?

Only one species of alcid, the great auk, was truly flightless like penguins. Bones of this huge bird have been found in archaeological sites of Cape Cod and they may have visited Stellwagen Bank at some point during their migrations. Little can be known of their habits here as they were hunted out of existence over 300 years ago.

What is the most common alcid on the bank?

The razorbill may be the most commonly seen alcid on the Bank while sightings of the other species are strongly dependent upon changes in food supply or storms. Black Guillemot, Cepphus grylle, are found throughout the Northern Hemisphere, breeding on small rocky islands and hunting offshore.

How do Alcids fly?

Powered along by strong chest muscles, alcids are swift fliers through the air and the water. With half opened wings, alcids can swim down to great depths to hunt fish, squid or large plankton. Each species sharing a particular habitat tends to specialize on different prey and their differing body designs and habits reflect this.

What is the genus and species of a gull?

Gull, any of more than 40 species of heavily built web-footed seabirds of the gull and tern family Laridae (order Charadriiformes). Several genera are usually recognized for certain specialized gulls, but many authorities place these in the broad genus Larus. Conspicuous and gregarious, gulls are most abundant as breeders in…

What is another name for an alcid?

For the fishery patrol vessel, see USFS Auklet. An auk or alcid is a bird of the family Alcidae in the order Charadriiformes. The alcid family includes the murres, guillemots, auklets, puffins, and murrelets.

What animals are in the alcid family?

The alcid family includes the murres, guillemots, auklets, puffins, and murrelets . Apart from the extinct great auk, all auks are notable for their ability to “fly” under water as well as in the air. Although they are excellent swimmers and divers, their walking appears clumsy.

What is the earliest fossil known of the Alcidae?

The genus Miocepphus, (from the Miocene, 15 mya) is the earliest known from good specimens. Two very fragmentary fossils are often assigned to the Alcidae, although this may not be correct: Hydrotherikornis (late Eocene) and Petralca (Late Oligocene ).

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What is the scientific name for a seabird?

Laridae is a family of seabirds in the order Charadriiformes that includes the gulls, terns and skimmers. It includes around 100 species arranged into 22 genera.

What is the meaning of alcid?

al·​cid | \\ˈal-səd \\. : any of a family (Alcidae, the alcid family) of web-footed diving birds with short legs and wings that includes the auks, murres, and puffins.

How many species of Alcids are there in the Arctic?

The five species of alcids that nest there have been very well studied over the past few decades (Ainley & Boekelheide 1990), providing much information about, for example, the effects of El Niño on these species. Horned Puffin is more northerly.

What is a funny name for a bird?

Loudmouth – A humorous name for your talkative bird. Nibbles – Pick a name that best describes their favorite activity in the world – eating. One Eye – Never a dull day with a funny, pirate-named bird around! Perchy – A jocular way of calling out your bird while it “perches.”