Pigeon Guillemot

Pigeon Guillemot; adult breeding plumage; Margo Dodd Park, California.

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Pigeon Guillemot; Farallon Is., California.

Pigeon Guillemot; Seward, AK.

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1. Description
2. Sound
3. Conservation Status
4. Other Names
5. Cool Facts
6. Full detailed species account

A seabird of the northern Pacific, the Pigeon Guillemot is found along rocky coasts from Alaska to California. It spends more time close to shore than other members of the puffin family.

Description

• Medium-sized to small waterbird.
• Thin, straight bill.
• Large white wing patches crossed by black bar.
• Bright red feet.
• Relatively long, thick neck.
• All black with white wing patches in summer.
• Mostly white with dusky back in winter.

• Size: 30-35 cm (12-14 in)
• Wingspan: 55-59 cm (22-23 in)
• Weight: 450-550 g (15.89-19.42 ounces)

Sex Differences

Sexes look alike.

Sound

High-pitched, thin twitters and piping calls. Alarm call is a loud, wavering whistle.

Conservation Status

Numbers reduced by oil pollution and disturbance from humans and livestock in early 1900s, and probably by food shortages during warm-water years. Populations appear stable.

Other Names

Guillemot du Pacifique (French)

Cool Facts

• The Pigeon Guillemot is one of the few members of the auk and puffin family to lay two eggs. Nearly all others lay only one egg, but the three guillemots of the genus Cepphus and the four murrelets in the genus Synthliboramphus usually lay two.
• The Pigeon Guillemot feeds in shallower waters than most auks, puffins, or murrelets. Although it is known to dive to depths greater than 45 meters (148 feet), it feeds best in waters of only 10 to 20 meters (33-66 feet) deep.

• The Pigeon Guillemot often scales vertical rock faces by some vigorous flapping of its wings combined with the use of the sharp claws on its webbed feet.

Sources used to construct this page:

Ewins, P. J. 1993. Pigeon Guillemot (Cepphus columba). In The Birds of North America, No. 49 (A. Poole and F. Gill, Eds.). Philadelphia: The Academy of Natural Sciences; Washington, D.C.: The American Ornithologists? Union.