Razorbill

Distribution

The razorbill breeds in temperate, boreal and low-arctic coastal regions of the North Atlantic. It nests in rock crevices or behind stones making it extremely difficult to census.

Bjørnøya, Bellsund and Krossfjorden are the only known breeding sites for razorbills in Svalbard. In these areas, they breed in very small numbers as single pairs or in small colonies. The total breeding population is estimated to be about 100 pairs, the majority of which breed on Bjørnøya.

Little is known about the breeding biology of razorbills in Svalbard. Razorbills from Svalbard likely spend the winter off the south-western coast of Norway and in the Skagerrak.

Management status and monitoring

The razorbill usually breeds in association with other sea birds, such as the Brünnich´s guillemot and black-legged kittiwake.