Aquatic Birds List
Some birds are specifically acquainted with the marine environment, and these birds are known as sea birds. As the same feeding niches and environmental problems have resulted in the same adaptations, sea birds often exhibit a striking evolution that is convergent, although they differ in behaviour, lifestyle, and physiology. The modern generation of sea birds evolved in the Paleogene, while it was in the Cretaceous period when the first sea birds evolved.
Many species cross the equator and undertake a long annual journey and nest in colonies. The size of each colony can vary from millions to a few dozens. Now, let’s look into the sea bird's name list in detail.
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What are the Main Types of Seabirds?
You will understand the features of seabirds better if you get to know about all the birds in the sea birds name list. These are a specifically unique and different class of birds altogether. They can feed both on the surface and underneath the water too. They have guided sailors, fishermen, and have been food for lonely hunters who were out for excavation in early years. Let's learn about the different kinds of water birds' names and their features.
Albatross
These birds have huge wingspans and provide them with a perfect flight as wings are long, narrow. These are amongst the biggest sea birds in the world. Altogether there are 22 species, and they can even walk on the land.
Auk
These seabirds travel towards the northern seas due to their compact bodies and are adapted to cold waters. With black and white plumes, distinct markings, and colourful billing, these sea birds can be clumsy in walking and have an upright posture.
Booby
Among all the water birds names this is the funniest due to the bird’s silly behaviour. They have bright feet and have beautiful tropical bills, heavy size, and clumsy flight. You can see them perched on cliffs, buoys, and rocks.
Frigatebird
These sea birds travel in the form of pirates known as men of warbirds. They have hooked and long bills with sharply pointed wings, forked and bold tails. They circle slowly above the ocean surface before diving to catch a fish and have a high flight. The males have a distinct red pouch in the throat.
Fulmar
They have short tails, chunky build, due to which it is confused with gulls. Being opportunistic feeders, they even visit trash lands for food. Among all the types of seabirds, fulmar can filter salt out of seawater with their tubenose.
Gannet
The names of these birds are derived from where these seabirds travel, such as Cape gannet, northern and Australian gannet. They have buff tinged heads, white plumage, black wingtips, and they are powerful fliers and strong divers.
Penguin
One of the most famous sea birds, penguins are specifically equipped for cold waters with fat and insulating plumage. Rather than feathered wings, they have special flippers which help them in swimming. Penguins are found in frosty areas like Antarctica.
Petrel
They are usually smaller in size and have elongated tubular nostrils with wave skimming and low flight. They return to land only to breed and live most of their lives on the sea and fly so close to the water as though they appear to be walking on it.
Puffin
These are specifically the biggest sea bird amongst the auks with colourful broadbills, rough expressions, and are strong swimmers. They typically breed on isolated Northern coasts or offshore islands in large colonies. When they fly, their wings beat rapidly, and they have a direct path with an upright posture on land. There are specifically three species of puffin, which are known as tufted, Atlantic, and horned ones.
FAQs on Seabirds
1. What do you know about the Shearwater and Tropicbird species of seabirds?
All the water birds' names are unique, and so are Shearwater and Tropicbird. Shearwater is specialized in no gliding flights with long wings and small sizes. The name is given because their wingtips touch the waves when they fly. More than 30 species of this variety can be found worldwide, but they have ideal feeding conditions. They can gather in large numbers when ocean upwelling brings fishes, squid, and planktons. Tropic bird species have a distinct long streaming tail with white plumage and short legs. When they hunt, they are shallow plunge divers. There are mainly three species of this variety known as the whitetail tropicbird, red-billed tropicbird, and red-tailed tropicbird.
2. What are the characteristics of sea birds in India?
Sea birds are beautiful creatures with specifically structured bodies made to survive in the oceans. Their basic characteristic is to have layers of fat, a desalination system that filters excess saltwater, and dense waterproof feathers. Some of the sea birds prefer to stay home throughout the year while some of them migrate across the equator for breeding from time to time. Among the aquatic birds listed, sea birds usually live up to 50 or more years. These are evolutionary characteristics that help them to adapt to the ocean climate and learn how to find prey after they start breeding. Sea birds are said to be travelling across the ocean for years and days, due to which they consume about 10% of the marine productivity and food for several humans and predators across the oceans.
