# Pigeon Guillemot (*Cepphus columba*) The Pigeon Guillemot is a black and white bird that loves to dive into the ocean for fish! They are great swimmers and can be seen along rocky coastlines. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 19 - **Habitat:** Coastal areas ![Pigeon Guillemot](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Cepphus_columba_columba%252C_Avachinskiy_Zaliv%252C_Kamchatka%252C_Russia_1.jpg&width=800) Photo: valerkov, CC BY 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cepphus_columba_columba%252C_Avachinskiy_Zaliv%252C_Kamchatka%252C_Russia_1.jpg) ## Appearance The Pigeon Guillemot is a striking seabird with a sooty black body and vibrant red feet and mouth lining. It has prominent white wing patches that stand out against its dark plumage, making it easily distinguishable from similar-sized auks. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Charadriiformes - **Family:** Alcidae - **Genus:** Cepphus ## Interesting facts - Guillemot chicks are born with fluffy down and can swim on their own in just two days! - Pigeon Guillemots often lay their eggs in caves or under boulders, not traditional nests! - Their bright red feet and mouth lining glow even brighter during breeding season! - They can sometimes be spotted swimming upside down to peer into rock crevices for food! ## Special abilities - **Underwater Wings:** Pigeon Guillemot can fly underwater using its wings to chase fish and crabs in coastal waters. - **Crevice Nester:** Pigeon Guillemot has speckled eggs that blend into dark rock crevices, keeping them safe from predators. - **Deep Sea Hunter:** Pigeon Guillemot can dive over 30 meters deep to hunt for bottom-dwelling prey on the seafloor. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 30-37 cm - **Wingspan:** 56-62 cm - **Weight:** 0.45-0.55 kg - **Lifespan:** 10-15 years - **Speed:** 60 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 1-2 - **Incubation:** 28-32 days - **Migration Distance:** 500 km ## Diet & Feeding These birds are expert underwater hunters that gobble up fish and marine invertebrates from the sea. - **Primary Foods:** Sandlance, Sculpins, Blennies, Crab larvae, Shrimp, Small octopuses - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Western Gull](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-gull) (*Larus occidentalis*) — Gulls often prey on Guillemot eggs and chicks in colonies. - **Hunts:** Pacific Sandlance (*Ammodytes hexapterus*) — A primary food source, caught by diving underwater. - **Hunts:** Kelp Greenling (*Hexagrammos decagrammus*) — Frequently targeted fish species found in their coastal habitat. - **Eaten by:** [Brown Rat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-rat) (*Rattus norvegicus*) — Introduced rats can raid nests for eggs and chicks. - **Eaten by:** [Bald Eagle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bald-eagle) (*Haliaeetus leucocephalus*) — Eagles occasionally prey on adult guillemots or fledglings. ## 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. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [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. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and don't try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Pigeon 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 Pigeon Guillemot? 30-37 cm ### What is Pigeon Guillemot's wingspan? 56-62 cm ### How much does Pigeon Guillemot weigh? 0.45-0.55 kg ### How long does Pigeon Guillemot live? 10-15 years ### How fast can Pigeon Guillemot move? 60 km/h ### What does Pigeon Guillemot eat? These birds are expert underwater hunters that gobble up fish and marine invertebrates from the sea. ### Where is Pigeon Guillemot usually found? Coastal areas ## Where to spot - [Chicken Ridge Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chicken-ridge-historic-district) — US · Historic District - [Pioneer Square](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/pioneer-square) — Washington, US · Neighborhood - [Seattle Aquarium](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/seattle-aquarium-washington) — Washington, US · Zoo - [Monterey Bay Aquarium](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/monterey-bay-aquarium-california) — California, US · Aquarium - [Monterey Bay Aquarium](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/monterey-bay-aquarium) — California, US · Zoo - [Angel Island Immigration Station](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/angel-island-immigration-station) — US · Historic Site [View all places to see Pigeon Guillemot](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/pigeon-guillemot) ## 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: [Pigeon Guillemot: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pigeon-guillemot)