There are several bird species that are known to nest in large colonies along sea cliffs and rock faces. Based on the question, we can infer that the bird in question likely breeds in dense aggregations on coastal cliffs rather than in trees or on the ground. With this in mind, the most likely candidates are seabirds from the families Sulidae, Phalacrocoracidae, Laridae, Alcidae, and Procellariidae. To definitively answer the question, we need to examine which seabirds from these families form the largest cliffside colonies.
Sulidae
The Sulidae family contains gannets and boobies. There are six species of gannets and ten species of boobies. Both groups nest colonially, often in huge numbers.
Gannets are large seabirds with long pointed wings and a narrow tapered tail. Their plumage is white with black wingtips. They have a pale yellowish head with a sharp pointed beak. Northern gannets are the most widespread species, breeding in colonies of up to 60,000 pairs on islands and sea cliffs along the North Atlantic. Cape gannets form nesting colonies of up to 100,000 pairs around southern Africa. Australasian gannets breed around Australia, New Zealand, and nearby islands in colonies of up to 20,000 pairs.
Boobies are medium-sized seabirds with short tails and large wedge-shaped beaks. Their plumage is predominantly white with variable amounts of black. Blue-footed boobies and red-footed boobies are known for their brightly colored feet. Boobies nest colonially, often on rocky islands and sea cliffs. Colony sizes range from several hundred to over 100,000 pairs. The largest colonies occur in the Galápagos Islands, where both blue-footed boobies and red-footed boobies can number over 100,000 pairs at some sites.
Based on colony size, the northern gannet, Cape gannet, and blue-footed booby are potential candidates for the cliff-nesting bird in question.
Phalacrocoracidae
Phalacrocoracidae is the cormorant family. Most cormorants are black or dark colored birds that dive from the surface to catch fish. They nest colonially on cliffs, islands, and offshore rocks. Colony size is quite variable across the different cormorant species.
Some species like the great cormorant typically nest in smaller groups of up to 500 pairs. Others like the European shag aggregate in colonies of 5,000-10,000 pairs. The largest colonies occur in the double-crested cormorant which can exceed 50,000 pairs at some sites along the North American Great Lakes.
Based on colony size, the double-crested cormorant stands out as a potential candidate for the cliff-nesting bird in the question.
Laridae
The Laridae family includes gulls, terns, and skimmers. Many of these species nest in dense colonies along marine cliffs and islands.
The herring gull is arguably the most widespread cliff-nesting larid. Colonies are found across the northern coasts of Europe, Asia, and North America. Typically herring gulls nest in aggregations of 100-2,500 pairs, with larger colonies occasionally exceeding 10,000 pairs.
Terns of the genus Sterna can form very large cliffside breeding colonies. Sandwich terns may congregate in groups of over 10,000 pairs at favored nesting areas in Europe and Asia. Common terns also nest colonially, with large colonies of up to 25,000 pairs on islands and coastal cliffs in the northern hemisphere.
The kittiwake is a small gull that nests exclusively on sea cliffs and rocky outcrops. Huge colonies are found along the north Atlantic and Pacific coasts. Kittiwake colonies range from hundreds to tens of thousands of pairs, with some cliffs hosting over 50,000 nesting birds.
Based on colony size, the sandwich tern, common tern, and black-legged kittiwake emerge as potential candidates from the Laridae family.
Alcidae
The Alcidae family includes auks, murres, guillemots, and puffins. These are all cliff-nesting seabirds of the northern hemisphere. Many species aggregate in extremely dense colonies numbering tens or even hundreds of thousands of pairs.
Thick-billed murres breed in huge colonies across the Arctic cliffs of Alaska, Canada, Greenland, and Russia. Colonies range from 10,000 to over 1 million pairs, covering cliff faces and ledges completely. Common murres form slightly smaller colonies numbering in the tens or hundreds of thousands in the north Atlantic and Pacific.
Razorbills, black guillemots, and Atlantic puffins all nest colonially in aggregations of 10,000-100,000 pairs around northern sea cliffs on both sides of the Atlantic. Largest puffin colonies can exceed 500,000 pairs.
Without a doubt the Alcidae family contains many species that nest in large cliffside colonies numbering tens to hundreds of thousands of pairs. The thick-billed murre, common murre, razorbill, and Atlantic puffin are top candidates for the bird in question based on colony size.
Procellariidae
The Procellariidae family includes shearwaters, petrels, and prions. Many procellarids nest in burrows rather than on exposed cliffs. Those that do nest on cliffs and rocky outcrops generally do not form colonies as large as auks and alcids.
An exception is the northern fulmar which aggregates in colonies of hundreds to hundreds of thousands of pairs on Arctic sea cliffs. Antarctic fulmars and Cape petrels also form sizable colonies numbering thousands to tens of thousands of pairs in the southern hemisphere. Among procellarids, the northern fulmar stands out as a cliff-nesting species with potential to form huge colonies.
Conclusion
Based on the analysis above, the seabirds that form the largest cliffside breeding colonies belong to the auk family Alcidae. The thick-billed murre, common murre, razorbill, and Atlantic puffin all frequently nest in aggregations of hundreds of thousands of pairs on sea cliffs and rocky islands in the northern hemisphere.
Of these, the thick-billed murre arguably forms the most massive colonies, with populations sometimes exceeding 1 million pairs at favored nesting sites in the Arctic. Other top candidates include the northern gannet, Cape gannet, northern fulmar, double-crested cormorant, black-legged kittiwake, sandwich tern, and common tern.
Therefore, the conclusive answer to the question “What is the name of the bird that has large colonies on the cliffs?” is the thick-billed murre. This Arctic seabird is renowned for forming huge breeding colonies numbering in the millions along northern sea cliffs. Its cliff-nesting habits and massive colony sizes make it the definitive match for the bird described in the original question.
Thick-Billed Murre Facts
Appearance
- Stocky black and white seabird with a thick dark bill
- White underside and black back and wings
- Small rounded head and short neck
- Adults have white line under the eye to bill
- No white patches on wings in flight like the common murre
Range
- Coastal cliffs in Arctic regions
- North America – Alaska, Canada, Greenland
- Eurasia – Russia, Scandinavia, Svalbard
- As far north as the permanent polar ice
Breeding
- Nest on narrow ledges of coastal cliffs
- Dense colonies of hundreds of thousands to millions of pairs
- Largest colonies found on cliffs in Russia, Alaska, and Canada
- Lay one speckled egg per year in June-July
- Chicks hatch in July and fledge in August
Feeding
- Dive from surface to catch fish, crustaceans, mollusks
- Forage closer to colonies while breeding
- Range farther when not nesting
- May dive over 300 feet deep
Conservation Status
- Population stable overall but some southern colonies declining
- Threats include oil spills, fishing net entanglement, and climate change
- Legally protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act in North America
Comparison of Thick-Billed Murre Colonies
Location | Colony Size |
---|---|
Cape Searby, Kharovsky, Russia | 1.2 million pairs |
Grimsey Island, Iceland | 200,000 pairs |
Cape Thompson, Alaska | 800,000 pairs |
Prince Leopold Island, Canada | 142,000 pairs |
Saunders Island, Greenland | 470,000 pairs |
Key Points
- Largest thick-billed murre colonies are found in Russia and Alaska
- Colonies range from tens of thousands to over 1 million nesting pairs
- Cliff ledges are completely covered by dense nesting birds
- Population threatened by oil spills, fishing, and climate change
Thick-Billed Murre Conservation
The thick-billed murre is classified as “Least Concern” globally by the IUCN Red List. However, some southern populations are declining substantially. Conservation actions include:
- Monitoring population trends at key breeding colonies
- Protecting habitat by limiting human disturbance and development near cliffs
- Establishing marine protected areas to preserve feeding grounds
- Preventing and cleaning up oil spills that affect murres
- Reducing murre bycatch from fishing through modified gear and practices
- Banding studies to track murre movements and survival
- Education campaigns to build public awareness
International cooperation is needed to monitor and protect thick-billed murres since they migrate across country borders and rely on continental shelf waters to feed. By taking conservation action now, these spectacular cliffside colonies can continue thriving for generations to come.