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Seabirds – At Flight Over & In the Ocean Birds are vertebrates in class Aves. They share several characteristics. Feathers, unique to this class. Forelimbs that are wings. A four-chambered heart. Lay internally fertilized eggs. Characteristics of Birds Marine birds are important to the marine Ecosystem: They are predators that consume fish, crustaceans, & mollusks. In turn they are prey to marine mammals & sharks. They supply guano – a significant source of nutrients, specially organic nitrogen important to sea life. Characteristics of Birds Many species of birds exhibit related adaptations to an aquatic life: Webbed feet for swimming & floating on the surface. Bill adaptations suited to catching their marine prey. The cormorant flies over water, & dives in pursuit of prey. Birds, like the albatross, have wings & flight characteristics adapted to long-duration flying over wide expanses of water. Special Attributes of Penguins All penguins live in the Southern hemisphere. Penguins make up about 80% of all Antarctic birds & by far outnumber even the massive marine mammal populations. Not all species live in cold places. Penguins are found on the coasts of South America, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, & the nutrient-rich waters surrounding the Galapagos Islands near the equator. They cannot fly, but they are as at home underwater as other birds are in the air. They spend as much as 75% of their time under water searching for food.