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Difference between revisions of "Pigeon Guillemot" - BirdForum Opus

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;Cepphus columba
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[[Image:New_Pigeon_Guillemot.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo &copy; by {{user|bobsofpa|Bob Sheldon}}<br/ >Montana de Oro State Park, [[California]], [[USA]],  1 June 2007]]
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[[Image:Pigeon_Guillemot.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by jvhigbee]]
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;[[:Category:Cepphus|Cepphus]] columba
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Location: Tacoma, Washington
 
 
==Identification==
 
==Identification==
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Adult birds have black bodies with a white wing patch broken by a black wedge, a thin dark bill and red legs and feet. They are similar in appearance to the Black Guillemot but show dark wing linings in flight. In winter, the upperparts are mottled grey and black and the underparts are white. They walk well, and habitually have an upright posture.
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[[Image:Pigeon_Guillemot.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Winter Plumage<br />Photo &copy; by {{user|jvhigbee|jvhigbee}}<br/ >Tacoma, [[Washington]], [[USA]], 6 December 2003]]
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They closely resemble the other members of the genus Cepphus, particularly the Black Guillemot, which it is slightly larger than.
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Length 33-35cm (13-14in).  <br />
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A mostly black bird with a prominent white wing patch bisected by a black bar or wedge.  The webbed feet and legs are bright reddish-orange.  The body is tapered for underwater swimming prowess, and terminates in a long, thin, black bill.  In flight, the underwings and axillaries can be seen to be dusky gray.  <br />
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'''Winter birds''' are white underneath and mottled gray above.<br />
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'''Juveniles''' are similar to winter adults but white wing panel reduced to white tips.
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====Variations====
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Aleutian populations average more white in their wing. They are also have shorter bills but longer wings cf. populations further south into coastal California. Subspecies ''C. c. snowi'' has much reduced white in wing. It is sometimes recognized as a separate species.  
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====Similar Species====
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[[Black Guillemot]] has white underwings in all plumages. Subspecies C. c. snowi in winter resemble winter [[Spectacled Guillemot]], but lack the white eyering.
 
==Distribution==
 
==Distribution==
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The Pigeon Guillemot (Cepphus columba) is a medium-sized alcid endemic to the Pacific. Pigeon Guillemots range across the Northern Pacific from the Kamchatka Peninsula in Siberia to coasts in western North America from Alaska to California. After the breeding season birds in Alaska migrate south to open waters, whereas some birds from California move north to the waters off British Columbia. Birds usually return to their natal colony to breed.
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Pacific coast of [[North America]] from [[Alaska]] to [[California]].  (see Taxonomy section)
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==Taxonomy==
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[[Image:1117041227 Pigeon Guillemot 2278.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Non-breeding plumage<br />Photo &copy; by {{user|Glen+Tepke|Glen Tepke}}<br />Monterey Bay, Monterey County, [[California]], [[USA]], 27 December 2004]]
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====Subspecies<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>====
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Five subspecies are recognized:
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* ''C. c. columba'':
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:*North-eastern [[Siberia]] to Bering Sea and western [[Alaska]]
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* ''C. c. snowi'':
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:*Kuril Islands
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* ''C. c. kairuka'':
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:*Komandorskiye Island to west-central [[Aleutians]]
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* ''C. c adiantus'':
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:*Central [[Aleutians]] to [[Washington]]
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* ''C. c. eureka'':
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:*[[Oregon]], [[California]]
  
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==Taxonomy==
 
 
==Habitat==
 
==Habitat==
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Their breeding habitat is rocky shores, cliffs and islands on northern often forming small loose colonies.
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[[Image:613 11654fg Pigeon Guillemot in Flight-1.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo &copy; by {{user|bobsofpa|Bob Sheldon}}<br/ >Glacier Bay National Park, [[Alaska]], [[USA]], 15 July 2013]]
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Rocky shores, cliffs and islands.
 
==Behaviour==
 
==Behaviour==
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They usually lay their eggs in rocky cavities sites near water, but will often nest in any available cavity including caves, disused burrows of other seabirds and even old bomb casings. Unusually for auks two eggs are laid. Unlike many alcids Pigeon Guillemots are diurnal and feed the chicks constantly throughout the day, and consequently can fledge faster than equivalent sized auks that are only provisioned at night.
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====Actions====
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Swims underwater in pursuit of food using its wings.  Gathers small fish near the ocean bottom.
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====Breeding====
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Nests are made in rocky cavities.  The clutch consists of 2 eggs.
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====Diet====
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Includes fish and other aquatic animals.
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====Movements====
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Spring and autumn migrations poorly known, as are details of winter range. Generally winters at sea.  Southernmost breeding populations apparently move north in the winter.
  
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They dive for food from the surface, swimming underwater, feeding on benthic prey, which is usually obtained close to shore. They mainly eat fish and other aquatic animals, particularly sculpins, sandfish (Trichodon), cods, capelin, and crabs. Chick diet varies slightly, with more fish than invertebrates, particularly rockfish.
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==References==
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#{{Ref-Clements6thAug19}}#Wikipedia contributors. (2020, January 1). Pigeon guillemot. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 07:47, March 28, 2020, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pigeon_guillemot&oldid=933584929
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#Ewins, P. J. (2020). Pigeon Guillemot (''Cepphus columba''), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (A. F. Poole and F. B. Gill, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.piggui.01
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#Nettleship, D.N., Boesman, P. & Garcia, E.F.J. (2020). Pigeon Guillemot (''Cepphus columba''). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from https://www.hbw.com/node/54064 on 28 March 2020).
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{{ref}}
  
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==External Links==
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{{GSearch|"Cepphus columba" {{!}} "Pigeon Guillemot" }}
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{{GS-checked}}1
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<br />
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<br />
  
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==External Links==
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[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Cepphus]]
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{{GSearch|Cepphus+columba}}
 
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*[http://www.orientalbirdimages.org/birdimages.php?p=1&action=birdspecies&Bird_ID=999&Bird_Family_ID=106&pagesize=1 View more images of this species on Orientalbirdimages]
 
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[[Category:Birds]]
 

Latest revision as of 22:14, 14 April 2024

Photo © by Bob Sheldon
Montana de Oro State Park, California, USA, 1 June 2007
Cepphus columba

Identification

Winter Plumage
Photo © by jvhigbee
Tacoma, Washington, USA, 6 December 2003

Length 33-35cm (13-14in).
A mostly black bird with a prominent white wing patch bisected by a black bar or wedge. The webbed feet and legs are bright reddish-orange. The body is tapered for underwater swimming prowess, and terminates in a long, thin, black bill. In flight, the underwings and axillaries can be seen to be dusky gray.
Winter birds are white underneath and mottled gray above.
Juveniles are similar to winter adults but white wing panel reduced to white tips.

Variations

Aleutian populations average more white in their wing. They are also have shorter bills but longer wings cf. populations further south into coastal California. Subspecies C. c. snowi has much reduced white in wing. It is sometimes recognized as a separate species.

Similar Species

Black Guillemot has white underwings in all plumages. Subspecies C. c. snowi in winter resemble winter Spectacled Guillemot, but lack the white eyering.

Distribution

Pacific coast of North America from Alaska to California. (see Taxonomy section)

Taxonomy

Non-breeding plumage
Photo © by Glen Tepke
Monterey Bay, Monterey County, California, USA, 27 December 2004

Subspecies[1]

Five subspecies are recognized:

  • C. c. columba:
  • C. c. snowi:
  • Kuril Islands
  • C. c. kairuka:
  • Komandorskiye Island to west-central Aleutians
  • C. c adiantus:
  • C. c. eureka:

Habitat

Photo © by Bob Sheldon
Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska, USA, 15 July 2013

Rocky shores, cliffs and islands.

Behaviour

Actions

Swims underwater in pursuit of food using its wings. Gathers small fish near the ocean bottom.

Breeding

Nests are made in rocky cavities. The clutch consists of 2 eggs.

Diet

Includes fish and other aquatic animals.

Movements

Spring and autumn migrations poorly known, as are details of winter range. Generally winters at sea. Southernmost breeding populations apparently move north in the winter.

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, S. M. Billerman, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2019. The eBird/Clements Checklist of Birds of the World: v2019. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. Wikipedia contributors. (2020, January 1). Pigeon guillemot. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 07:47, March 28, 2020, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pigeon_guillemot&oldid=933584929
  3. Ewins, P. J. (2020). Pigeon Guillemot (Cepphus columba), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (A. F. Poole and F. B. Gill, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.piggui.01
  4. Nettleship, D.N., Boesman, P. & Garcia, E.F.J. (2020). Pigeon Guillemot (Cepphus columba). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from https://www.hbw.com/node/54064 on 28 March 2020).

Recommended Citation

External Links

GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1

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