This document provides information on the various sea bird species that breed at St Abb's Head National Nature Reserve. It describes the kittiwake, herring gull, fulmar, shag, guillemot, and razorbill. For each species it outlines physical characteristics, breeding behaviors, nesting locations, current population levels, and other interesting facts. The purpose is to educate visitors to the nature reserve on the different breeding sea birds found in the area.

1. A Guide to
the Breeding Sea Birds
St Abb's Head National Nature Reserve

2. Kittiwake Phalacrocorax aristotelis
• A member of the gull family
• They spend their winter in the Atlantic, only coming to the
coast to breed in summer
• They nest on steep cliffs in large groups - they will rebuild
old nests and make new ones using vegetation and mud
and will rebuild old nests
• They can be seen in Starney Bay, near the Lighthouse and at
Nunnery Point (see reserve map)
• There are over 3,000 pairs breeding here, although the
population has been in decline since the 1990’s – the
colony count in 2013 was the lowest on record
St Abb's Head National Nature Reserve
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Arrive Eggs Chicks Leave
Can you hear?
Kittiwakes say their own
name, listen for loud groups
screeching “kitt-i-waake”

3. Herring Gull Larus argentatus
• A member of the gull family
• They are a very adaptable scavenger and many birds winter
inland in the UK feeding around rubbish tips
• They build a simple nest lined with feather and vegetation,
there is normally a small territory around the nest which the
males defend, nest are normally seen towards the tops of
the guillemot colonies
• They can be seen in Starney Bay, near the Lighthouse and at
Nunnery Point (see reserve map)
• Last year there were almost 200 pair nesting in the reserve –
the population here has declined since the early 1990’s
St Abb's Head National Nature Reserve
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Present Present Present Present Eggs Chicks Chicks Present Present Present Present Present
Did you know?
Herring gulls will pirate food
from other birds, and chips
from humans!

4. Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis
• The fulmar shares a family with the petrels and shearwaters
and is more closely related to the albatrosses than the gulls
• They form monogamous pairs, returning to the same nest
site each year, where they lay a single egg
• They breed at the edges in the colonies often in crevices
towards the tops on the cliffs
• They can be seen near the Lighthouse and at Nunnery Point
(see reserve map)
• We have just over 100 pairs breeding on the reserve,
although the population here is in decline – the colony
count in 2013 was the lowest on record
St Abb's Head National Nature Reserve
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Present Present Present Present Eggs Eggs Chicks Chicks Present Present Present Present
Did you know?
Fulmars chicks will spit a
foul-smelling oily gastric
juice if threatened

5. Shag Rissa tridactyla
• They share a family with Cormorants
• They usually stay close to their breeding site though out the
year
• Shags build nests from twigs and seaweed and these can
normally be found at the lower parts of the cliffs and in
crevices
• They can be seen in Starney Bay, near the Lighthouse and at
Nunnery Point (see reserve map)
• Last year just over 100 pairs nested on the cliffs in the
reserve, the population is in decline, it peaked at 450 pairs
in the early 1990’s
St Abb's Head National Nature Reserve
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Present Present Present Eggs Eggs Chicks Chicks Present Present Present Present Present
Did you know?
Shags feed on fish and
crustaceans on the sea floor
and can dive up to 45m

6. Guillemot Uria aalge
• A member of the auk family ‘The penguins of the
Northern hemisphere’ – shared with razorbills
• They spend their whole lives at sea, only coming to land
to breed
• They nest in huge groups on the cliff faces and lay a
single pear-shaped egg directly on the ledge
• They can be seen in Starney Bay, near the Lighthouse and
at Nunnery Point (see reserve map)
• They are the most numerous birds on the cliffs, there were
around 33,000 individuals last year – there population is
stable here
• They dive skilfully to catch fish and crustaceans, using
their wings to ‘fly’ underwater and their feet for steering
Can you spot?
The bridled form, the eye is
circled with a white line
which extends backwards
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Arrive Eggs Chicks Leave
St Abb's Head National Nature Reserve

7. Razorbill Alca torda
• A member of the auk family ‘The penguins of the
Northern hemisphere’ – shared with guillemots
• Birds only come to shore to breed, and winter in the
northern Atlantic
• They often nest at the edges of the guillemot colonies,
preferring more sheltered broader ledges, they also use
old kittiwake nests
• They can be seen in Starney Bay, near the Lighthouse and
at Nunnery Point (see reserve map)
• In 2013 there were an estimated 1800 individuals – there
population is stable here
• They dive skilfully to catch fish and crustaceans, using
their wings to ‘fly’ underwater and their feet for steering
Did you know?
Razorbill (and guillemot)
chicks jump into the sea
before then can fly
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Arrive Eggs Chicks Leave
St Abb's Head National Nature Reserve

8. Spot the difference
Guillemot Razorbill
• Their beak is long, thin and pointed
• They have dark brown plumage
• They nest in very large dense groups
– they are the most numerous birds
on the cliffs
• Their beak is thick and blunt
• They have jet black plumage
• They prefer to nest away from others,
at the edges of the guillemot
colonies
St Abb's Head National Nature Reserve