Two razorbills cuddling together in the snow at Hornøya (Vardø, Finnmark), in April 2024, at the start of breeding season.

Razorbills are socially monogamous, like most seabirds, and return to the same nesting spot with the same partner each year. They mate for life, but divorces do happen, for example if one of them proves to be a bad parent, and they re-pair after their partner dies.

These two were enjoying some alone time, something that must be rare at crowded cliffs like this, preening eachother while enjoying the afternoon sun in the snow.

I spotted these two razorbills rubbing their beaks and heads together, cuddling surrounded by snow. I found a pile of snow in the foreground to position myself behind, which let me create the white haze in the foreground and also gave our lovebirds some space.

Razorbills, just like most seabirds, are monogamous and mate for life, returning to the same nest and partner each year.

When the white-tailed eagle gets observed at the cliff, the auks flee the scene and thousands of seabirds fill the sky.

These two razorbills, positioned on a rock below the bird cliff felt safe from the threat and remained in place, vigilantly keeping an eye on the activity above them in the sky.

During my time at Hornøya during spring 2024, I saw the murres, razorbills, puffins, and kittiwakes fly off in a panic many times, startled by the predators.

Two razorbills cuddling together in the snow at Hornøya (Vardø, Finnmark), in April 2024, at the start of breeding season.

Razorbills are socially monogamous, like most seabirds, and return to the same nesting spot with the same partner each year. They mate for life, but divorces do happen, for example if one of them proves to be a bad parent, and they re-pair after their partner dies.

These two were enjoying some alone time, something that must be rare at crowded cliffs like this, preening eachother while enjoying the afternoon sun in the snow.

Cuddling razorbills (Alca torda), photographed at Hornøya in the spring of 2024.

Razorbills are socially monogamous. They'll pick a partner and stick with them for life, but, just like amongst humans, divorces may happen.

Razorbills (Alca torda) at Hornøya.

The razorbill on the left is actually just making a landing. But the postures and facial expressions of all of them made it seem as if he clumsely fell off the cliff while his friends were laughing at him.