# Black Guillemot (*Cepphus grylle*) The Black Guillemot is a small bird that loves to swim and dive in the ocean. With its black feathers and bright red feet, it is a beautiful sight near the coast! - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Coastal areas ![Black Guillemot](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Tystie1.jpg&width=800) Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Kelson assumed (based on copyright claims)., Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tystie1.jpg) ## Appearance The Black Guillemot is a sleek seabird with a distinctive white patch on each black wing during summer. Its body is entirely black, contrasting sharply with its bright red legs and feet. In winter, its plumage changes to a mottled grey and white. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Charadriiformes - **Family:** Alcidae - **Genus:** Cepphus ## Interesting facts - Chicks are born dark and downy, able to swim the day they hatch! - Their bright red mouth lining flashes when calling, a secret signal! - They dig nesting burrows in soft cliff soil using their beak and feet. - They hide eggs deep inside rocky crevices, making nests tough to find. ## Special abilities - **Underwater Navigator:** Black Guillemots can 'fly' underwater, using their wings to propel themselves swiftly for diving after food. - **Color Changer:** Black Guillemots have feathers that dramatically change from black in summer to mottled white/gray in winter for camouflage. - **Heat Radiator:** Black Guillemots have bright red feet that act like built-in radiators, helping them regulate body temperature in water. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 30-38 cm - **Wingspan:** 49-58 cm - **Weight:** 0.3-0.5 kg - **Lifespan:** 10-15 years - **Speed:** 70 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 1-2 - **Incubation:** 28-32 days ## Diet & Feeding These speedy swimmers dive deep to catch small fish and yummy invertebrates from the ocean floor. - **Primary Foods:** Sandlances, Blennies, Sculpins, Cod, Shrimp, Marine Worms - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** Pacific Sand Lance (*Ammodytes hexapterus*) — Primary prey for adults. - **Hunts:** Rock Gunnel (*Pholis gunnellus*) — Common food source. - **Eaten by:** [Great Black-backed Gull](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-black-backed-gull) (*Larus marinus*) — Preys on eggs and chicks. - **Eaten by:** [Arctic Fox](https://www.snappit.app/explore/arctic-fox) (*Vulpes lagopus*) — Hunts adults and chicks near colonies. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Webbed Feet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/webbed-feet): Characterized by having toes connected by a membrane, typically aiding in swimming. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Piscivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/piscivorous): Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. - [Marine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/marine): Marine habitats encompass all saltwater environments of the Earth's oceans, supporting an immense diversity of aquatic life. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and do not disturb their nests. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Black Guillemot? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Black Guillemot? 30-38 cm ### What is Black Guillemot's wingspan? 49-58 cm ### How much does Black Guillemot weigh? 0.3-0.5 kg ### How long does Black Guillemot live? 10-15 years ### How fast can Black Guillemot move? 70 km/h ### What does Black Guillemot eat? These speedy swimmers dive deep to catch small fish and yummy invertebrates from the ocean floor. ### Where is Black Guillemot usually found? Coastal areas ## Where to spot - [Mullen's Head Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mullens-head-park) — Maine, US · Park ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Black Guillemot: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-guillemot)