Guillemot
The UK’s coasts have many stretches of sheer cliffs where seabirds breed and the guillemot is one of the most numerous birds in the great ‘seabird cities’. It comes to land only to nest, spending the rest of its life at sea, where it is vulnerable to oil spills. Dark brown and white, not as black as the similar razorbill, it has a ‘bridled’ form with a white ring round the eye and stripe behind it.
Black guillemot
Cepphus grylie
Its striking black and white plumage and bright red feet make it easy to identify in summer. Unlike most other European auks the black guillemot is typically found in ones and twos, scattered around rocky islets. It is typical of the larger sea lochs ...
Puffin
Fratercula arctica
Scotland’s smallest and most distinctive breeding auk species with black upper parts and white under parts. Adults have a distinctive rainbow coloured deep bill as well as white cheeks and a conspicuous, clown-like black stripe down over each red-ri...
Razorbill
Alca torda
The razorbill is a medium-sized seabird. It is black above and white below. It has a thick black beak which is deep and blunt, unlike the thinner bill of the similar guillemot. It breeds around the coast of the UK, with the largest colonies in northern...
Follow Wild Scotland
Stay up to date with Wild Scotland and sign up for our Newsletter