Habitat
Nests on steep narrow ledges of cliffs on offshore islands, sea stacks, or inaccessible areas on coastal mainland (Baird 1994). Forages at upwellings or oceanic fronts not far from colonies (Baird and Moe 1978, Hunt et al. 1981, Schneider et al. 1990). Distances range from 1 km to >40 km from colonies (Biderman et al. 1978, Hunt et al. 1981).
References
Baird, P. H. 1994. Black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla). In The Birds of North America, No. 92 (A. Poole and F. Gill, Eds.). Philadelphia: The Academy of Natural Sciences; Washington, D.C.: The American Ornithologists’ Union.
Baird, P. H. and A. Moe. 1978. The breeding biology and feeding ecology of marine birds in the Sitkalidak Strait area, Kodiak Island, 1977. Pp. 313-524 in Environmental assessment of the Alaska Continental Shelf Annual Report of Princ. Investigators, vol. 3. NOAA Environ. Res. Lab, Bolder, CO.
Biderman, J. O., W. H. Drury, S. Hinckley, and J. B French, Jr. 1978. Ecological studies in the Northern Bering Sea: Birds of coastal habitats on the south shore of Seward Peninsula, Alaska. Annual Reports of Principal Investigators. OCSEAP, Boulder, CO.
Hunt, G. L., P. J. Gould, D. J. Forsell, and H. Peterson. 1981. Pelagic distribution of marine birds in the eastern Bering Sea. Pp. 689-718 In: The eastern Bering Shelf: oceanography and resources (D. W. Hood and J. A. Calder, eds.). Natl. Oceanic Atmos. Admin., Washington, D.C.
Schneider, D., N. Harrison, and G. Hunt, Jr. 1990. Seabird diet at a front near the Pribilof Islands, Alaska. Studies in Avian Biology 14:61-66.
