Skellig Islands consent. During the 2014 nesting season, black-legged kittiwake chicks in nests were swept into the sea by the downdraught from a helicopter and devoured by gulls. Both of the Skellig islands are known for their seabird colonies, and together comprise one of the most important seabird sites in Ireland, both for the population size and for the species diversity. Among the breeding birds are European storm petrel ("Hydrobates pelagicus"), northern gannet, northern fulmar ("Fulmarus glacialis"), Manx shearwater ("Puffinus puffinus"), black-legged kittiwake ("Rissa tridactyla"), common guillemot ("Uria aalge"), razorbill ("Alca torda") and Atlantic puffin ("Fratercula arctica") (with 4,000 or more puffins
Procellariidae been implicated in (but not proved to have caused) the expansion in range of the northern fulmar in the Atlantic. Three of the six prion species have bills filled with lamellae, which act as filters to sift zooplankton from the water. Water is forced through the lamellae and small prey items are collected. This technique is often used in conjunction with a method known as hydroplaning where the bird dips its bill beneath the surface and propels itself forward with wings and feet as if walking on the water. Many of the shearwaters in the genus "Puffinus" and "Ardenna" are