
13
CREATURE FEATURE - KITTIWAKES
Kittiwakes
lay their eggs on cliff ledges, on a nest built of grass and other plants, which
is cemented onto the cliff with mud and their own droppings. This makes the
colonies very smelly, but the nests keep the eggs (usually 2) and chicks secure
on the sheer cliffs.
Kittiwake chicks spend a long time in the nest, around 45 days, fed by the parents until they can fly. These birds are strong fliers, and catch fish and other marine animals near the sea surface by dipping their heads below the surface or plunging a short way into the sea.
Sources:
Lets Look at the Moray Firth(86)