Razorbills are seasonal visitors Ramsey Island coming ashore to breed while spending the majority of their lives at sea. Part of the auk family along with Puffins and Guillemots the Razorbill and closely related to the now extinct Great Auk they have a strong beak and stocky body.
The Razorbill is around 40cm long and weighs just over half a kilo, birds generally live for between 10 and 15 years. Their wings around 60cm across meaning that they have a relatively short wingspan. This makes them busy and slightly inefficient flyers and by contrast excellent swimmers. They can swim to a depth of over 100 meters to catch small fish and sand eels. Unlike some other sea birds which breed on the islands around Pembrokeshire Razorbills like to lay their eggs close to the bottom of sea cliffs. Razorbills use rocky ledges and outcrops to help create a natural barriers to Black Backed Gulls, who try to steal their eggs and their young. After their breed season of March to July they go to sea for the rest of the year throughout the western and northern Atlantic.
Razorbills can be seen at Ramsey Island from a number of the St Davids boat charter providers during the spring and summer months. Check accommodation availability at Galwad y Mor here Our Apartments
