Pigeon guillemot

Cepphus columba

The pigeon guillemot (Cepphus columba) () is a species of bird in the auk family, Alcidae.

Family: Alcidae Order: Charadriiformes Conservation: Least Concern

About the Pigeon guillemot

The pigeon guillemot (Cepphus columba) () is a species of bird in the auk family, Alcidae. One of three species in the genus Cepphus, it is most closely related to the spectacled guillemot. There are five subspecies of the pigeon guillemot; all subspecies, when in breeding plumage, are dark brown with a black iridescent sheen and a distinctive wing patch broken by a brown-black wedge. Its non-breeding plumage has mottled grey and black upperparts and white underparts. The long bill is black, as are the claws. The legs, feet, and inside of the mouth are red. It closely resembles the black guillemot, which is slightly smaller and lacks the dark wing wedge present in the pigeon guillemot. This seabird is found on North Pacific coastal waters, from Siberia through Alaska to California. The p

Fun Facts About Pigeon guillemot

There are five subspecies of the pigeon guillemot; all subspecies, when in breeding plumage, are dark brown with a black iridescent sheen and a distinctive wing patch broken by a brown-black wedge.
Its non-breeding plumage has mottled grey and black upperparts and white underparts.
Threats to this bird include climate change, introduced mammalian predators, and oil spills.
This species feeds on small fish and marine invertebrates, mostly near the sea floor, that it catches by pursuit diving.
They defend small territories around a nesting cavity, in which they lay one or two eggs.

Conservation Status

The Pigeon guillemot is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. This species is currently stable and not at significant risk of population decline.

View on IUCN Red List →

Taxonomy & Classification

Order	Charadriiformes
Family	Alcidae
Genus	Cepphus
Species	Cepphus columba

Range & Habitat