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Common Guillemot

海鴉 · 海鸦 · 海鴉 · Guillemot de Troïl · Arao común

Uria aalge

Thousands pack onto narrow cliff ledges to nest, side by side. Babies leap off the cliff at just three weeks old to land in the sea!

Size

Medium · 42 cm

Latin name

Uria aalge

Status

Native to Ireland

Where to spot

Where you can spot the Common Guillemot in Ireland

Skellig Islands — County Kerry: Two amazing rocky islands rising from the sea. Home to puffins, gannets, kittiwakes and Manx shearwaters.
Rathlin Island — County Antrim: An RSPB nature reserve off the north coast — easier to reach than the Skelligs and full of seabirds in summer.
Cliffs of Moher — County Clare: Towering sea cliffs along the wild Atlantic coast. Look for puffins on the grass at the cliff top in summer, with thousands of guillemots and razorbills below.
Saltee Islands — County Wexford: Two small islands off the southeast coast — one of Ireland's biggest seabird colonies. In summer the cliffs are packed with gannets, puffins, razorbills and guillemots. Reach Great Saltee by day-boat from Kilmore Quay.