Handa is noted for its birdlife, which includes puffins, razorbills and guillemots. Guillemots and razorbills also nest here. Middle Mouse is a favoured place for cormorants, guillemots and razorbills. Razorbills nest along coastal cliffs in enclosed or slightly exposed crevices. Throughout the pre-laying period razorbills will socialize in large numbers. Seabirds which can be seen include bonxies, twite, dunlin, guillemots, razorbills, skylarks, and fulmars. Dippers, choughs, puffins, guillemots, razorbills, short-eared owls, Manx shearwaters, whimbrel and plovers are also common. Depending on the season, birds may include fulmars, guillemots, kittiwakes, puffins and razorbills. However, razorbills are slightly more agile. Commercial fishing affects populations because razorbills can become tangled in nets. Common murres perform appeasement displays more often at high densities and more often than razorbills. Razorbills are primarily black with a white underside. Razorbills spend approximately 44% of their time foraging at sea. In the early 20th century, razorbills were harvested for eggs, meat and feathers.