Birds · Charadriiformes · Alcidae

Razorbill

Alca torda

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The razorbill is a species of charadriiform bird of the family Alcidae. It is the only species in its genus. It is not usually as numerous as the common guillemot, but it is a regular presence in the seabird colonies of north-west Europe, often less conspicuous because of its preference for holes rather than open ledges.

Weight

726 g on average

Size

37 cm – 39 cm

Lifespan

42 years

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

Colony

Lives in large concentrations, often for breeding reasons.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

Estimated population

Between 838,000 and 1,600,000 mature individuals; the IUCN describes the population as fluctuating

OceanCarnivore Diurnal Colonial Bird Ocean

21countries 29parks7same family

Fun facts

locomociónIt can dive beyond 100 metres, beating its wings underwater much as it does in the air.
It is the closest living relative of the great auk (Pinguinus impennis), which went extinct in the mid-nineteenth century.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Cliffs and rocky islands of the North Atlantic for breeding; the rest of the year, the open sea
Birth weight: 63.8 g at hatching
Size at birth: A semi-precocial chick that leaves the colony at 18-20 days, accompanied by the male, before it can fly
Sexual maturity: 4 years
Gestation / incubation: 36 days
Litter / clutch size: 1