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Deepseawaters
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Sea BirdsPigeon guillemot
Pigeon guillemot
Common Name: Pigeon guillemot
Scientific Name: Cepphus columba
Description
Guillemots
are the most neritic members of the marine bird family Alcidae,
which includes murres, puffins, and auks. Guillemots first
breed at 2 years of age and adults have high annual survivorship.
Young guillemots normally return to the natal area to breed.
Nest site fidelity of breeding pairs is high and even in instances
when pairs relocate nests, the distances involved are usually
small(<30 m).
Eggs
are laid in a wide variety of natural crevices and holes,
but most nest sites in the study area are located in cavities
in rock masses. Eggs are usually laid about 50 cm from the
entrance of the nest crevice, thus eggs, chicks, and attending
adults are frequently accessible for data collection. Guillemots
are unusual among alcids in that they normally lay two-egg
clutches and raise two chicks per nesting attempt. Guillemots
carry whole fish in their bills to the nest-site crevice to
feed their young. Thus, individual prey items can be identified,
weighed, measured, and, if necessary, collected for contaminant
analyses.
Bluff Nester
Pigeon
guillemots nest in rocky crevices or sandy bluffs in late
spring and summer. Nest sites occur on Smith, Sentinel, Flower,
and Protection Islands. Nests can also be found in bluffs
on the east side of Vashon, Fox, and Anderson Islands. Guillemots
often seek the cover of overhanging soil and plants on high
bluffs for nesting.
Pigeon
guillemots dig holes in cliffs for nest sites. They
use their narrow beaks to pry out stones, and sharp toe nails
to scrape. Cliff nests are placed in crevices or hollows where
one or two greenish, dark spotted eggs are laid.
Pigeon Guillemot Facts
Winter
White
In the winter, pigeon guillemots display a white head
and mottled underparts.
White Patch
Mature pigeon guillemots have a white wing patch while
at rest or in flight; immature guillemots have a mottled
wing patch. Length: About 10 ½ inches. Sexes: look similar.
Narrow, dark bill. Dark inside wings.
Red feet and legs
In all seasons, pigeon guillemots can be identified by
brilliant red legs and feet.
Listen for whistles
The pigeon guillemot makes high whistles near breeding
bluffs in the spring
Identification Tips
Length: 10.5
inches
Sexes similar
Immature like
basic adult but has mottled wing patch
Medium size
alcid that dives for food from water surface
Thin, dark bill
Large white
patch in wing visible at rest and in flight
Small, dark
wedge in white wing patch
Dark wing linings
Red legs and
feet
Pelagic bird
only coming ashore to breed
Adult Alternate
Entirely black
plumage
Adult Basic
White neck and underparts
Dark areas on
face
Gray, mottled
back
Black wings
and tail
Similar Species
The
Pigeon Guillemot is most similar in plumage to the Black Guillemot
but their ranges only overlap in Alaska. In all plumages,
the Pigeon Guillemot has dark wing linings and a dark wedge
intruding into the white wing patch. In breeding plumage the
male White-winged Scoter is vaguely similar but has a differently
shaped bill and profile, white secondaries rather than coverts,
and some white on the face. Basic and juvenile plumage Marbled
Murrelets are somewhat similar but lack the wing patches,
have shorter necks, and smaller bills.
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