Why do sea birds land on channel markers?

Sea birds land on channel markers for many different reasons, including grooming, nesting and resting. Channel markers are navigational tools for marine craft, but they also serve as fish watch posts for birds when they are hunting.

According to National Geographic, nesting platforms built in unconventional places like those on channel markers are common in areas where conservationists are working to renew the bird population. Sea birds, such as the ospreys, also build large nests made from sticks and dirt on telephone poles or in trees. Channel markers serve as resting places on the water. Double-crested cormorants enjoy roosting on the buoys to dry their large, primordial wings.