The first dives may end with the chick drowning. Many do not manage to learn how to catch fish before they are driven from their parents’ territory – only about half survive more than a week or two. Most chicks die from cold or lack of food.
About 80 percent of chicks die between leaving the nest and the next breeding season. Similarly, about 70 percent of adults die within a year. Few individuals live longer than three years, and surviving for five years is a rarity. However, the high mortality rate is offset by a high annual reproduction rate.
