Sea Birds

A seabird is a bird that spends most of its life in the open ocean. Seabirds are highly specialized and adapted to life in the sea. Most have thick, waterproof feathers to keep them warm and a special gland near their eyes helps them remove salt from their food and the water. A seabird’s beak, as with all birds, is adapted to the type of food it eats. Their sharp, pointed beaks catch and hold slippery fish and strong, pointed wings help certain seabirds “fly” underwater when pursuing their prey. Other seabirds, like albatross, have longer wings that allow them to fly far out to sea. Webbed feet, common to all seabirds, help them chase their prey. Most seabirds rest and sleep on the waves, while others roost on land for a few hours a day. All seabirds must return to land to lay eggs and raise their young. At the start of summer, seabirds will gather on offshore islands and rock outcroppings to form a crowded colony where they will breed and nest. Their diet consists mostly of small fish, squid, shellfish, and crustaceans such as krill and crabs.