Razorbill

Alca torda

01.13.2012 - Wrightsville Beach, NC

Razorbills dive by flapping their wings underwater. This individual was feeding near Johnnie Mercer's Pier in Wrightsville beach, and would surface and dive again in less than a second. There were over 100 Razorbills in the Atlantic Ocean that day.

01.13.2012 - Fort Fisher, NC

Later that day, we found several Razorbills sitting in the surf across from the Fort Fisher Civil War Museum. Unlike the ones off the pier, this Razorbill sat above the water for almost a minute. Note the relatively small bill lacking a white line - this bird is likely a young individual, perhaps in its first winter. The winter of 2012-2013 saw a huge Razorbill irruption along the east coast, with hundreds of individuals appearing as far south as Miami, Flordia.