Gould commented that 'unlike its celebrated ally [the extinct Great Auk] it is still very numerous...still its numbers must be yearly diminishing; for hundreds are wantonly killed by persons living in the neighbourhood of their breeding places, or by excursionists who visit their rookeries...these romantic places doubtless have many charms for pleasure-seekers, but I wish they were more friendly to this and other rock resorting birds...'
An adult is depicted with a young bird about two days old.

DISTRIBUTION: Breeds on the coasts of North Atlantic from Labrador and west Greenland south to Maine, and from Iceland and northwest Russia south to Brittany and the Baltic. Winters at sea south as far as Florida, and in the western Mediterranean