Short abstract from the book: In Denmark the razorbill only breeds at Græsholm and
Bornholm. The colony at Græsholm had 775 breeding pairs
in 2003. The first razorbill was ringed in Denmark in 1927,
with the majority ringed since the 1980s. The recovered birds
were ringed in June–July, 84 % as chicks. Two of the recovered birds were ringed on Bornholm, the rest on Græsholm.
The young razorbills leave the colony from late June to
mid-July. When leaving Græsholm, most birds swim NE, and
the recoveries show that many birds continue in this direction in the following months. In September birds have been
recovered in Finland and in October in the Baltic countries
and Gdansk Bay. At the same time the first bird has entered
inner Danish waters (Little Belt). Very few birds have been
recovered north or west of Jutland.
During winter, razorbills have been recovered in the Baltic
Sea and inner Danish waters. Most adult birds probably stay
in the Baltic Sea all year round. The mature razorbills return
to Græsholm in early March. Although a few immature birds
visit the colony in their first and second summer, others have
been recovered in Finland, Norway and Gdansk Bay during
summer. At maturity many razorbills breed close to their birthplace, and most of the breeders return to the same nesting
place year after year.
Outside the breeding period, Denmark is visited by razorbills from the British Isles (mainly Scotland), Norway, Russia,
Sweden and Finland. Both Swedish and Finnish birds have
been observed in the colony at Græsholm, several as mature
birds in the breeding season.
Read more about the species in the chapter from The Danish Bird Migration Atlashere
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