Page 229 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

SKUAS, GULLS,AND TERNS
Order Charadriiformes Family Alcidae Species Fratercula arctica
Puffin disc-like, dark eye deep, triangular
bill, patterned
grey-white blue-grey, orange,
yellow, and red
sides of face
black upperparts
plain black and neck
wings
ADULT
(SUMMER)

ADULT
(SUMMER)

white
IN FLIGHT underside
grooves on smaller, duller bill (loses
bill increase
with age colourful sheath)
FLIGHT: fast, direct, low; wingbeats quick,
whirring; may fly higher over sea or when circling dusky grey face
colony in flocks. (as on juvenile)
uffins are more localized than
PGuillemots, requiring more earth
in which to burrow or cavities in vivid orange
rocks in summer. In winter, they are far legs
out in the Atlantic. Summer birds are often ADULT
seen flying by from headlands in the north (SUMMER)
and west. However, winter ones, which lack
the distinctive bill ornamentation seen in the
breeding season, are generally rare close ADULT (WINTER)
inshore. Occasionally, Puffins are blown far
inland during autumn gales, and turn up in
unexpected places.
VOICE At nest, loud, cooing growl, aaarr,
karr-oo-arr.
NESTING Occupies ready-made burrow,
digs burrow into soft earth, or finds cavity
between boulders; 1 egg; 1 brood; May–June. RUNNING THE GAUNTLET
FEEDING Dives from water surface to catch Adults bringing fish back to their chicks are
fish and squid. often harried by gulls.
SIMILAR SPECIES OCCURRENCE
Breeds on coasts and islands from
LITTLE AUK RAZORBILL Iceland south to NW France, in
faster wingbeats in small see p.230 dagger-
flight; see p.226 bill thick black shaped bill cliff cavities, scree, or on grassy
smaller larger and bill slopes. Widespread migrant
heavier offshore, but scarce in winter
larger
when most are far out in Atlantic.
Very rare inland after storms.
GUILLEMOT Seen in the UK
see p.229 J F M A M JJ A S O N D
Length 26–29cm (10–11 1 ⁄2in) Wingspan 47–63cm (18 1 ⁄2 –25in) Weight 310–500g (11–18oz)
Social Small flocks Lifespan 10–20 years Status Vulnerable
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