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Razorbill (Alca torda)
Above: Seen in Delaware waters from a December 11th pelagic out of Lewes, Delaware.
Below: Two Razorbills in Delaware waters on 2/5/2011.
Comments: The Razorbill nests in the North Atlantic, but can be found offshore in the winter south to the Carolinas. It is a member of the alcid family (Family Alcidae), the taxonomical family that includes the Northern Hemisphere's penguin-like birds, such as puffins. (It is true that there are no penguins in the Northern Hemisphere; many people are surprised to learn there are no penguins at the North Pole.) The Razorbill is the closest living relative of the extinct Great Auk, which was hunted to extinction in 1844. This huge, flightless species--the largest alcid--was nearly twice as tall as the Razorbill, and wintered as far south as Florida. You won't find any photos of the Great Auk here or anywhere, as they succumbed to centuries of nesting colony raids before they were ever photographed.