Seabird

Seabirds are birds that have adapted so they are better able to live at sea or near it. Many seabirds live at sea, that is, far away from land. They may only come on land to breed. Other seabirds live in colonies on islands. Very often, seabirds use the sea for food, most often fish or shellfish. The first seabirds evolved in the Cretaceous period, and modern seabird families first appeared in the Palaeogene. The similarities between them are examples of convergent evolution. The same environmental problems and feeding niches have resulted in similar adaptations.

Seabirds share a number of adaptations to sea life. They live longer, breed later and have fewer young than other birds. They do spend a great deal of time with their young. Most species nest in colonies. These vary from a few dozen birds to millions. Many species take long annual migrations every year, crossing the equator or circumnavigating the Earth in some cases. They feed both at the ocean's surface and below it, and even feed on each other. Seabirds vary in how much of the year they spend at sea.

Gallery

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  The sooty tern spends months flying at sea, returning to land only for breeding.

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  Cormorants have feathers that can get wet. This lets them to dive more easily.

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  The chinstrap penguin is a streamlined pursuit diver.

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  Northern gannet (white) in a colony with Common guillemot, in Helgoland, Germany.

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  Pelicans winter in Cuba every year from North America.

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  Arctic terns breed in the Arctic and subarctic and winter in Antarctica.

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  Northern gannets breeding in large colony in Canada

Seabird Media

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  The sooty tern is highly aerial and marine and spends months flying at sea, returning to land only for breeding.

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  The Cretaceous seabird Hesperornis

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  Wilson's storm petrels pattering on the water's surface

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  An African penguin skeleton, showing the sternal keel that makes the species a strong diver and swimmer

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  Northern gannet pair "billing" during courtship; like all seabirds except the phalaropes they maintain a pair bond throughout the breeding season.

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  Common murres breed on densely packed colonies on offshore rocks, islands and cliffs.

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  Seabirds (mostly northern fulmars) flocking at a long-lining vessel

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  This crested auklet was oiled in Alaska during the spill of MV Selendang Ayu in 2004.

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  Depiction of a pelican with chicks on a stained glass window, Saint Mark's Church, Gillingham, Kent