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Guillemot or Razorbill? (France) (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Gduff
- Start date
Pretty difficult but I think perhaps both are here. The left hand bird in the first three pictures looks better for Razorbill (seems thick billed, darker around the eye and a shade blacker on the upperparts). The rest look better for Guillemot (seem too pale greyish on the upperparts for Razorbill).
Alexander Stöhr
Well-known member
I agree with Andrew, that at least three of them are Guillemots. Adding to the features allready mentioned, you can see the underwing of at least one bird, and it lacks the white patch of a Razorbill. This should be obvious even in this blurry picture.
I have seen both species flying (at breeding colonies) and migrating together.
I must admit, that I was unsure about the first one. I have seen two forms of Gullemots (the paler and the darker, nearly blackish one, flying together and they gave a similar impression).
But after reading the helpfull comments by the The Fern and Andrew, I think the leading (=leftmost) bird is indeed a Razorbill. So thanks for that!
I have seen both species flying (at breeding colonies) and migrating together.
I must admit, that I was unsure about the first one. I have seen two forms of Gullemots (the paler and the darker, nearly blackish one, flying together and they gave a similar impression).
But after reading the helpfull comments by the The Fern and Andrew, I think the leading (=leftmost) bird is indeed a Razorbill. So thanks for that!
pianoman
duck and diver, bobolink and weaver
I think they are all the same species, and agree that they are probably Guillemot. I find that if you see both species together Razorbill stands out because of its completely black upper plumage and you realize that Guillemot is lighter and browner above. So leaving aside lighting issues, I think some would stand out more if they were different.
I actually think they do stand out as somewhat different. It may well be that the two left hand birds are Razorbills. They both look distinctly blacker than the two right hand birds (particularly in picture three). They also look better for Razorbill in terms of shape (consistently thick looking bill on the left hand bird) and head pattern.
Andrea Collins
Well-known member
First two are definitely Razorbills for me based on bull necked appearance, heavy bill, colour, and central wing position relative to body.
The third bird looks to have a noticeably thinner neck, and wings appear to be further forward. Looks like a Guillemot to me.
Fourth bird is a bit more ambiguous than the third bird but still looks more Guillemot to me. Or maybe not, having looked at it again!
The third bird looks to have a noticeably thinner neck, and wings appear to be further forward. Looks like a Guillemot to me.
Fourth bird is a bit more ambiguous than the third bird but still looks more Guillemot to me. Or maybe not, having looked at it again!
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Andrea Collins
Well-known member
Having enlarged them all to the point where they are just a blurry mass of pixels, I'd say they are all Razorbills.These are all from the second pic in the original post.
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