There are 10,000 bird species in the world.Birds are broadly categorized as seabirds and land birds. There are 350 sea bird species.Birds that have developed to live in marine ecosystems are called seabirds. They are a major part of marine ecosystems. Seabirds come in a variety of shapes and sizes. A majority of them are found in the subtropical regions of North America. A few of them are present in the southern oceans. The rest of the birds, also known as pelagic birds, live in the open ocean. Most of the seabirds only come to the shore for breeding.Continue reading to know more about sea birds and check out our other articles on if birds are animals and facts about jungle birds.What type of birds live by the ocean?A variety of birds live by the ocean. Ranging from the smallest birds like the northern storm petrels to the biggest birds, like the wandering albatross. Some of the most famous birds that live by the ocean are as follows.Storm Petrels: The storm petrel, also known as the Guairdeall in Irish, belongs to the family Hydrobatidae. They are mainly found on remote islands in North America. It is a tiny seabird with a dark-colored body and white backside. It is 5.5-7 in (14-18 cm) in length. The name storm petrel was given to these birds, as sailors assumed that the arrival of the bird indicated the arrival of a storm.Northern Fulmars: The northern fulmar, also known as the Arctic fulmar, belongs to the Procellariidae family. It has three subspecies. The bird is 18 in (46 cm) long. The northern fulmar has a grayish-white body and blue legs. They have powerful wings and are excellent flyers. It is found in the North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans. Northern fulmars are opportunistic feeders that are mistaken for seagulls.Brown Pelicans: The brown pelican is one of the large sea birds but is the smallest among the eight extant pelican species. The bird is found on the Atlantic coast. The lifespan of pelicans is 25 years. Brown pelicans are amazing flyers that can fly up to a height of 60 ft (18.2 m).Atlantic Puffin: Atlantic puffins, also known as sea puffins and clowns of the sea, are cute birds that can change their bill color from bright orange to gray in winter. This bird can flap its wings 400 times every minute. The Atlantic puffin is native to the Atlantic ocean and is found on offshore islands.Common Murre: The common murre is one of the two murre species. They are only seen on land during the breeding season. These diving birds have been recorded to reach depths of 550 ft (167.6 m). Common murres are found in the North Atlantic and North Pacific regions.Gulls: Gulls are also known as seagulls. There are 54 species of seagulls. This is a medium-sized bird that is gray or white and has short legs. They are well known for their capacity to locate food from a distance of 3 mi (4.8 km). They are found in coastal areas and are rare in tropical regions.Cormorant: Cormorants, also known as shags, are medium to large-sized birds reaching a maximum length of 39 in (100 cm). This bird is mainly found in regions between the Aleutian Islands and south Mexico. There are 40 species of cormorants in the world.Terns: Terns are small birds that are grayish-white with a black patch on the head. These birds belong to the Laridae family. Though they do not have any natural predators, their population is still facing a decline due to several human activities. This bird is found in Europe, Asia, and North America. Terns can even live in the Arctic regions.Blue-footed bobby: These seabirds have attractive blue feet that never go unnoticed. They are mainly found in the tropical and subtropical seas of the eastern Pacific Ocean.Did you know - most of the marine birds struggle on land? But a few marine birds like the albatross can manage well on land. The wandering albatross is the largest seabird in the Southern Ocean.Breeding And ColoniesMore than half of the seabirds nest in colonies on islands or the mainland. The breeding colonies can comprise members ranging from a few dozen birds to millions.They nest in colonies only during the breeding season or when large amounts of food are available in a particular area. Birds will nest on cliffs and trees. Sea birds return to the same breeding sites each year. This increases the chances of successful breeding.Diet And FeedingA major portion of the seabird’s diet consists of fish, crustaceans, and squids. Some birds also steal the prey and eggs of other birds. They also eat planktons and krill.Seabirds use a variety of feeding techniques like pursuit diving, surface feeding, and plunge-diving. Surface feeding refers to catching prey that is settled on the ocean’s surface. This can be done while swimming or while flying. In pursuit diving, the bird uses great pressure and dives deep into the water to get the desired prey. Grebes and loons use this method. Plunge diving is used by birds live gannets and boobies. Using energy from the speed of the dive to resist the natural power of water to keep the bird afloat helps the bird to exert less energy. This is called plunge-diving. This method allows the bird to cover a wide area while searching for food.Climate Change EffectsSea birds in the Northern hemisphere have been facing difficulties in reproducing due to climatic changes. Due to climatic changes, there is a rise in the sea temperature, and the ocean acidifies. Both of these issues have affected the production of food in the sea. It also alters the composition of marine wildlife. Because of this, sea birds are unable to get their food and their food sources become limited. Seabirds do not adapt to changes well.Water that is cooler holds retains more oxygen. The heatwaves in the ocean that are driven by climatic changes have disastrous consequences.Adaptations To Life At SeaCountershading, webbed feet, flat bodies, and diving are some of the common adaptations of sea birds. Living in the sea is not as easy as it looks. These birds have multiple adaptations to adjust and survive in the sea. Some of the extreme adaptations are:Waterproof Feathers: Except for a few birds like cormorants and terns, all other seabirds have waterproof wings. They do this by keeping their plumage waxy.Oil Defense: Many seabirds like the fulmars can spew hot oil at predators which turn into waxy substances. When these birds eat their food, the digestive system separates oil from other nutrients. Parents feed this oil to the young birds, which is used not only as food but also as a defense mechanism.Plumage: Most seabirds have white plumage or gray plumage. They rarely have bright plumage. The muted plumage helps them blend with their habitat and acts as a camouflage.Lens: Having a clear vision underwater is impossible. Then how do these birds manage to catch their prey? Well, birds like the Australasian gannets have the ability to change the shape of their lens.Seabirds And fisheriesThe connection between seabirds and fisheries and sailors goes a long way back. Both the groups have experienced equal amounts of advantages and downsides from the alliance.Seabirds have always been attracted to fishing vessels. The free food acts as appealing baits. Fisheries have been a major source of food for many seabirds. Almost 50-70% of the food intake of sea birds comes from these discards. The availability of discards has had a huge impact on the growth of birds like the northern fulmar.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for facts about ocean birds then why not take a look at if birds are warm-blooded, or albatross facts?
There are 10,000 bird species in the world.
