Everything you need to know about seabirds!

To celebrate World Seabird Day, we want to highlight the 17 types of seabirds that the 365 species are grouped into, from the huge albatrosses down to small storm-petrels.

Explore the types of seabirds

Header image: credits in images below

TROPICBIRDS

As the name suggests, tropicbirds are found in tropical or subtropical oceans all year round. Their white feathers and graceful long tail feathers flow after them during their acrobatic flight, when they soar foraging for flying fish and squid, or when performing their “back-pedalling” courtship display. They are true ocean birds, only coming to land to breed on isolated oceanic islands – which makes sense given how clumsily they move on land! 

PENGUINS

Despite the common preconception that penguins are cuddly birds, these Southern Hemisphere predators have tough flippers, enabling streamlined movements in cold deepwater in pursuit of their prey, such as fish, squid or krill. King Penguins can sometimes dive to depths of 240m, whereas other species opt for foraging in flocks, occasionally in association with gannets or cormorants. They nest in a range of locations near the ocean, whether on ice or rocky hillsides, or even in temperate rainforests. 

SOUTHERN STORM-PETRELS

Southern Storm-petrels are known as the ‘swallows of the ocean,’ similar to their northern cousins, covering large ranges of the southern oceans. If you are lucky enough to spot a whale, there’s a high possibility a Southern Storm-petrel is close behind, attracted by the common ground of their prey: planktonic invertebrates or fish. Unlike many seabirds, you’ll likely see them flapping instead of soaring. As they scoop up their food, they flap their wings whilst pattering their webbed feet on the surface of the water.  

NORTHERN STORM-PETRELS

Northern Storm-petrels have longer wings and shorter legs compared with Southern Storm-petrels. Inhabiting the northern oceans, they journey during the non-breeding season but return to their home colony to breed. A single, fluffy chick is raised in a burrow, each with a distinct smell that guides the parents back to their underground nest. This trait is incredibly useful when they return at night to avoid being spotted by predators, such as frigatebirds or gulls. 

PETRELS, SHEARWATERS

From the albatross-sized giant petrels down to the thrush-sized prions, petrels and shearwaters are experts at navigating the open oceans. After the breeding season, they follow oceanic currents, spreading out and looping across the globe. Their refined sense of smell guides them to mass gatherings of their planktonic prey. 

ALBATROSSES

Albatrosses are among the most iconic seabirds. Their narrow wings are the longest of any bird and feature lengthened bones with an extra bend to enable dynamic movements and effortless gliding. Travelling huge distances, with the wind’s support, they can cross thousands of kilometres of ocean in one trip to provide food for their single chick. Attracted to upwelling areas of colder oceans, where food is abundant, they only return to land to breed, nesting on remote islands that are generally predator-free.  

PELICANS

Pelicans’ expanded gular pouches are an efficient adaptation, acting as a net to scoop fish as they skim over the water’s surface. Despite common belief, they don’t store the fish – once the water has drained, they will swallow their prey on route to feed their chicks. Pelicans take advantage of thermals and use them to soar to more productive fishing grounds, occasionally more than 100km each way. 

FRIGATEBIRDS

Frigatebirds, also known as man-o’-war birds, can be seen as the ‘pirates’ of the ocean. Masters at swooping in and stealing other birds’ foods, they target those returning to breeding colonies and snatch airborne flying fish or fish near the water’s surface. Given their lack of waterproof plumage, it is rare to see a frigatebird make contact with water, preferring to keep to the skies. Frigatebirds have the lightest wing-loading of any bird, meaning their skeleton weighs half the weight of the feathers, assisting their impressive manoeuvrability.  

GANNETS, BOOBIES

One of the most enthralling seabird sights is when a flock of gannets or boobies plunge into the water at phenomenal speeds of over 100km per hour. Fish near the surface have no chance when these birds scissor their long wings behind them and dive down, making them efficient predators. Boobies are most noticeable by their coloured feet, which they show off to potential mates in comical courtship displays.  

CORMORANTS

Found on the majority of coasts, cormorants remain near the shore due to their poorly waterproofed plumage. Also found on freshwater rivers and lakes, cormorants and shags dive underwater propelled by their feet before catching their prey with hooked bills. They are notorious for grabbing larger fish and sometimes wrestle with them before swallowing – likely because their eyesight is poor underwater. 

PHALAROPES

Phalaropes are unique birds that churn small plankton to the surface by spinning in circles on the water. They are also different when it comes to where they spend their time – during the non-breeding season, they can be found in the tropical oceans. Females are larger and more colourful, and mate with multiple males. The males then care for the eggs and chicks alone.  

GULLS, TERNS

When people think of seabirds, they often refer to gulls and terns. Common on almost every shore, they are known for their active behaviours. You can tell them apart by their diet: gulls will eat any animal, alive or dead, that they can swallow; terns mainly dive and capture fish, keeping to themselves during foraging masses. Their breeding colonies are often large and crowded due to their nesting area preferences: generally, on islands to protect them from predators.  

SKUAS

Hunters of the seas, skuas use their hooked bills to catch their prey, scavenge on carrion, and help them steal other seabirds’ prey or even their eggs and chicks. Skuas protect their own chicks with distraction displays and a combination of attacks, feeding them small vertebrates to help them grow. Interestingly, female skuas will grow larger than males. 

LOONS/DIVERS

Similar to grebes, loons’ movement on land is limited, so they often toboggan themselves to and from a nest that’s positioned on the edge of the water. The fluffy chicks will quickly take to the Northern waters, following their parents as they forage. Their velvety plumage will develop as they age and are fed more. Loons’ webbed feet help them torpedo through the water, changing shape and position depending on stroke. 

DUCKS

Ducks are one of the most versatile birds on Earth, occupying most aquatic habitats from lakes to marshes to coastal bays. Despite this, many species occupy shallow waters over continental shelves during the non-breeding season. Most ducks are dependent on water, but some are known to forage at distances away from it and some even nest in trees.  

GREBES

Unable to walk on land due to their legs being far back on their bodies, grebes are instead adapted for smooth navigation on and under water. Diving below the surface, they thrust their legs to shoot forward with their feet acting as propellers. If you’re out birding, don’t miss their spectacular synchronized courtship dances, and their floating nests which are anchored on or near the water’s edge. They have been observed eating their own feathers, which slow down digestion by catching fish bones and shells in their stomach. 

AUKS

Auks are agile, wing-propelled divers and fast fliers, spending their lives in and around the ocean. Chicks of many species leave the nest at a young age, carrying out their development at sea with a single parent, far from the rocky Arctic and north temperate shorelines on which they breed. Auks’ courtship signals are exceptional, from bright, coloured bills to facial plumes and they utilise smell as a cue. 

HOW CAN YOU HELP SEABIRDS?

Out of the 365 seabirds, 111 are globally threatened and 20 Critically Endangered. Despite almost 50% of seabird species experiencing declining populations, 14% of species populations are on the rise due to vital conservation work. 

Over the last two decades, our work has saved hundreds of thousands of seabirds around the world. Together we can save more.