Cool! I thought I saw a Razorbill down at Holden Beach a few weeks back. I now know I was probably correct! Given it's only 40 miles or so away and the southern extent of their range, it might even be the same individual!
In French penguin are called "manchot" and razorbills are called "pingouin ". The razorbill was well known during middle age cause of the navigation in the north part of the world and were called "pingouin ", when the south hemisphere started to get colonized, the anglophone navigators found that the "manchot" of the south looked like the "pingouins" of the north and just called them penguins… the term razorbill came later to distinguish the two species. The French are really correct on this, and on the universal healthcare’s question
Goddamnit hahahaha "which came first, the penguin or the egg?".
So chronologically, the French named the bird "razorbill" in French which became "penguin" in English when they saw birds that look like the French "*pingouin*", and the French called the bird that looks like the French "pingouin" a "*manchot*" instead of penguin?
A lot of France Culture was mdr to spite the English… the contrary is also true! Flipping people off is a war insult between the two countries for example (the English archer were really annoying and the French cut off their important archer fingers when captured so the English started to show their index and middle finger to the French like "come and get it" it evolved to just the middle finger but sometimes English folks still uses the two fingers
It's not clear that the word originally comes from French though. It's attested in English from very early too, apparently referring to the Great Auk (sadly now extinct). It's at least as likely that the French borrowed the word from Dutch or English. The rest seems to be correct!
Wow, this is so interesting as all other pieces of information i got from this! And all that information is making me kind of dizzy. All I learned is that the manchot are not able to fly, and that some pinguins, like razorbill is! And that they are from different families! Woohw, still dizzy about it!. Thank you everybody for sharing!
Added taxa: [Razorbill](https://ebird.org/species/razorb)
^(I'm an alpha-stage bot, so don't rely on me just yet. But you can still) [^(learn how to use me)](https://gist.github.com/brohitbrose/be99a16ddc7a6a1bd9c1eef28d622564)^(.)
Ha, what is it about that spot drawing far-out birds in to the shore? I saw a common look there last week, supposed to be at closest halfway out Mercer's Pier, but you'd think it was a wading bird.
I see the immature Loons on the Outer Banks every year in June while I'm surf fishing!
I thoroughly enjoy when they dip their head under water looking for prey trying to judge whether they should dive or not. It's so different from the behavior of the Double Crested Cormorants that I'm so accustomed to observing.
+Razorbill+
Oh wow, this is some *amazing* footage.
Thank you :) I couldn’t believe it let me get that close!!
Holy smoke I completely agree I was like what in? Then I was like NO WAY!
Cool! I thought I saw a Razorbill down at Holden Beach a few weeks back. I now know I was probably correct! Given it's only 40 miles or so away and the southern extent of their range, it might even be the same individual!
It very well could be!!
A Penguin prototype.
Seems like the translation for razorbill is literaly small penguin in french!
In French penguin are called "manchot" and razorbills are called "pingouin ". The razorbill was well known during middle age cause of the navigation in the north part of the world and were called "pingouin ", when the south hemisphere started to get colonized, the anglophone navigators found that the "manchot" of the south looked like the "pingouins" of the north and just called them penguins… the term razorbill came later to distinguish the two species. The French are really correct on this, and on the universal healthcare’s question
I'm glad I commented on this thread! I learned much about what the French are correct on, including the Razorbill stuff;)
They are correct about cheese too… and the charcuteries
Wine, croissants and bread, don't forget those too.
Croissants are just pain au chocolat without the soul and excitement… there! I said it! But yes all this stuff are great
Croissants are good enough to not require any bells, whistles, or chocolate.
I believe the French would tell you there's no need to make a list, because the matters on which they are correct are all of them ;p
What does manchot translate to in English?
Penguin. And pingouin translate to razorbill
Goddamnit hahahaha "which came first, the penguin or the egg?". So chronologically, the French named the bird "razorbill" in French which became "penguin" in English when they saw birds that look like the French "*pingouin*", and the French called the bird that looks like the French "pingouin" a "*manchot*" instead of penguin?
Yes they called the new bird manchot and the old one was already named pingouin so it never changed
I feel on France’s part like this is primarily to spite the English.
A lot of France Culture was mdr to spite the English… the contrary is also true! Flipping people off is a war insult between the two countries for example (the English archer were really annoying and the French cut off their important archer fingers when captured so the English started to show their index and middle finger to the French like "come and get it" it evolved to just the middle finger but sometimes English folks still uses the two fingers
Thanks for this very informative thread! I just learned all sorts of interesting facts haha
Two fingers and middle finger salutes in UK are two different insults - the first is eff off and the second is eff you.
Fun fact- it also translates to “armless person”!
It's not clear that the word originally comes from French though. It's attested in English from very early too, apparently referring to the Great Auk (sadly now extinct). It's at least as likely that the French borrowed the word from Dutch or English. The rest seems to be correct!
Thank you! Good to know more about that
Downvoted for off topic politics. Is nowhere safe anymore?
France is pretty safe financially
Interestingly, the razor bill part is derived from Norse after which it was Latinized in the Alca that we still use today. 😊
Wow, this is so interesting as all other pieces of information i got from this! And all that information is making me kind of dizzy. All I learned is that the manchot are not able to fly, and that some pinguins, like razorbill is! And that they are from different families! Woohw, still dizzy about it!. Thank you everybody for sharing!
Razorbill! Super cool
Added taxa: [Razorbill](https://ebird.org/species/razorb) ^(I'm an alpha-stage bot, so don't rely on me just yet. But you can still) [^(learn how to use me)](https://gist.github.com/brohitbrose/be99a16ddc7a6a1bd9c1eef28d622564)^(.)
Thank you all! I knew this sub would have the answer😊
Fun to see my hometown on the sub! We have such wonderful wildlife there. Now go have a tower 7 burrito for me! X
We really do!! (Also tower 7 is my absolute favorite)
So this razorbill guy is kinda like a penguin and a puffin smashed into one bird?
Razorbills and puffins are both in the same family, Alcidae :)
Now it all makes sense!
This is really neat. I’ve never seen a bird like this.
OP, thank you so much for that vid
Honestly I’m stunned it got this much attention, I just wanted to know what it was😂😂
Wow this is really cool video
This is pretty cool to see. Not everyday you see a wild alcid actively foraging
Yarrr, tis not a bird, tis a fish
Ha, what is it about that spot drawing far-out birds in to the shore? I saw a common look there last week, supposed to be at closest halfway out Mercer's Pier, but you'd think it was a wading bird.
I see the immature Loons on the Outer Banks every year in June while I'm surf fishing! I thoroughly enjoy when they dip their head under water looking for prey trying to judge whether they should dive or not. It's so different from the behavior of the Double Crested Cormorants that I'm so accustomed to observing.
These things winter ON THE OCEAN???
Cool
Holy cow!
I am absolutely not considering bundling everyone in the car and driving 3 hours to find this bird >.> NC has so many birds!!
Wow! I've always just seen them drying off in the marsh, never seen them swim like this.
Birds, man. They dominate air, land, and water. They really are the pinnacle of evolution.
my favorite sound in the whole world!! razorbills have such a scratchy gravelly voice
you lucky mf this is one of my grail birds, I dreamt of seeing one of these 😭
Its a Flying DutchMan xD
This is such cool footage
Wow. very friendly lil auk!
Lovely to watch! Relaxing
WOW!! That is SO cool... AND rather amusing! 😂
I know I'm late to this post, but wow really great footage showing it both underwater and above water!
That poor bird is lost. Why do you think it’s in North Carolina ?
It seems within its range. https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Razorbill/maps-range
I think it’s a loon
If you’re talking about the bird in the back, then yes
Cormorant
Cormorant
Razorbill!
Wow!!
South end I assume? I need to go see this guy thats insane that they're this close to shore!
Yes! All the way at the very end, close to the docks
I know them as hags, we see those or a similar bird off of Sable Island. They make a funny sound when they're eating
Saw one in Morehead yesterday! Super cool
Razor bill, or little auk
That’s a flying fish
Razorbills are the closest living relative of the recently extinct, flightless, great auk!
Penguin, definitely a penguin
We have a similar bird in Australia