July 19, 2015 - Razorbills
Read MoreHere’s a close-up view of a Razorbill showing the bright golden lining of its mouth. Other distinguishing features include the thin white line from the bill to the eye, the thin white vertical stripe on the bill, and several grooves in the bill. The hooked tip of the bill is helpful in capturing and holding the small fish that make up a large portion of its diet.
Most Razorbills start breeding at 4 or 5 years of age. Once a pair has established a nest site and successfully raised a chick, they tend to stay together and return to the same nest site in subsequent years. I saw a lot of Razorbills preening each other. I’m sure the preening has a practical purpose, but it also seems to be a courting gesture.
At Machias Seal Island, Razorbills begin laying eggs in mid-May. Only one egg is laid and the chick is fed by both parents. The chick leaves the nest 18 to 20 days after hatching. It follows the adult male out to sea. This is fairly unusual because it is not yet fully grown; it is only 25% to 30% as big as an adult. At first, the adult feeds the chick, but within a month the chick can feed itself.
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