Marine BirdsMarine Birds ShorebirdsShorebirds

– Live and feed on Live and feed on the coastlinesthe coastlines

– Have bills Have bills specialized for specialized for dealing with dealing with different kinds of different kinds of foodfood

SeabirdsSeabirds– Remain at sea for Remain at sea for

months at a time months at a time (pelagic)(pelagic)

– Have many Have many adaptations for life adaptations for life at seaat sea

Seabirds AdaptationsSeabirds Adaptations Feathers are dark Feathers are dark

above and light above and light below for below for camouflage from camouflage from predators above predators above and prey belowand prey below

Have more Have more feathers than other feathers than other birds for extra birds for extra waterproofing and waterproofing and insulationinsulation

Seabirds AdaptationsSeabirds Adaptations Flexible webbed Flexible webbed

feet for swimming feet for swimming or takeoff from or takeoff from water’s surfacewater’s surface

Strong claws for Strong claws for fishingfishing

Wings shaped for Wings shaped for flight needs flight needs – Longer, more tapered Longer, more tapered

for soaring for long for soaring for long periods with little effortperiods with little effort

– Some have shorter Some have shorter wings for better control wings for better control and agility at the and agility at the water’s surfacewater’s surface

Seabirds AdaptationsSeabirds Adaptations Plunge divers have Plunge divers have

extra adaptationsextra adaptations– Strong, tapered Strong, tapered

bills, air sacs for bills, air sacs for cushioning, thicker cushioning, thicker bones to withstand bones to withstand the impactthe impact

Seabird BehaviorSeabird Behavior Feed mostly on Feed mostly on

fish, squid, and fish, squid, and crustaceanscrustaceans

Powerful fliers with Powerful fliers with little effortlittle effort

Live much longer Live much longer than regular birds than regular birds (20-40 years, (20-40 years, compared to 10 compared to 10 years)years)

Seabird BehaviorSeabird Behavior Colonial nestersColonial nesters

– Nest in large groups Nest in large groups in isolated placesin isolated places

– Nurture their young Nurture their young for longer than for longer than typical land birdstypical land birds

– May take young May take young birds for several birds for several months at seamonths at sea

– Raise one egg per Raise one egg per yearyear

General Marine Bird AdaptationsGeneral Marine Bird Adaptations

BillsBills– Pelican’s bill acts Pelican’s bill acts

like a scooplike a scoop

Albatross has Albatross has hooked bill to grip hooked bill to grip slippery preyslippery prey

Curlews have long Curlews have long bills to catch bills to catch burrowing animalsburrowing animals

Marine Bird Feeding HabitsMarine Bird Feeding Habits Plunge diversPlunge divers

Probing for food in Probing for food in the shallowsthe shallows

Catch prey from Catch prey from surfacesurface

Skimmers Skimmers