Species: Cepphus columba

Pigeon Guillemot
Species
Birds
Show on Lists
Puget Sound Partnership indicator species: birds
Salish Sea-reliant birds
Terrestrial vertebrates: birds

Science Review:

9. Marine birds

Articles:

Notes from the field: The Illusion of abundance

Biologist and science writer Eric Wagner recently returned from a trip to observe pigeon guillemots on Protection Island. He wonders: How much do we really know about the health of seemingly abundant bird populations?

A downy black seabird chick nestled in the corner of a wooden box that is resting on top of gravel.
Unsung seabirds could help track Puget Sound health

Pigeon guillemots have attracted relatively little scientific attention compared to other seabirds in Puget Sound. That may be because their population is generally stable, but a group of citizen scientists is helping to put guillemots on the conservation radar. They hope the birds can be used as an indicator of Puget Sound health.

Pigeon guillemot taking flight over water. Photo: Patty McGann (CC BY-NC 2.0) https://flic.kr/p/opywhG
Washington state aquatic reserves

Eight aquatic reserves, managed by the Washington Department of Natural Resources, have been established to protect important ecosystems on state aquatic lands.

In most reserves, area residents work with state, local and tribal officials and nonprofit groups to develop and carry out management plans, including scientific research.

The aquatic reserves in the order they were established include: 

  • Maury Island 2004
  • Cypress Island  2007
  • Fidalgo Bay 2008
  • Cherry Point 2010
  • Protection Island 2010
  • Smith and Minor Islands 2010
  • Nisqually Reach 2011
  • Lake Kapowsin 2016
Location of eight aquatic reserves in Washington. Map: WA DNR
2013 Puget Sound Marine Waters Overview

A report from the Puget Sound Ecosystem Monitoring Program provides an overview of 2013 marine water quality and conditions in Puget Sound from comprehensive monitoring and observing programs.

2013 Puget Sound Marine Waters Overview
Pigeon Guillemot Foraging and Breeding Survey in and Near the Nisqually Reach Aquatic Reserve

A 2014 report describes a research and monitoring study of Pigeon Guillemot conducted in and near the Nisqually Reach Aquatic Reserve. 

Pigeon Guillemots at Zangle Cove. Photo by Bobbie Moody.
Marine and terrestrial bird indicators for Puget Sound

A December 2013 report identifies marine and terrestrial bird species for use as indicators within the Puget Sound Partnership's "Vital Signs" for ecosystem health. 

Black Scoter (Melanitta nigra). Photo by Dave Menke, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
2012 Puget Sound Marine Waters Overview

The Puget Sound Marine Waters 2012 Overview from the Puget Sound Ecosystem Monitoring Program synthesizes conditions measured in 2012 and has been expanded to include observations on seabirds that rely on marine waters. Read an excerpt below, or download the full report.

Report cover with city skyline at sunset
Marine birds

More than 70 bird species regularly utilize Puget Sound during some or all stages of their life histories, but only a portion of these are actively being investigated.

Brandt's cormorant (Phalacrocorax penicillatus). Photo by Finley and Bohlman, courtesy U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Craniata
Class

Aves

Order

Charadriiformes

Family

Alcidae

Genus

Cepphus

Natureserve Explorer
Source:
ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.106136
Classification
Other Global Common Names
Arao Pichón - Guillemot colombin
Informal Taxonomy
Animals, Vertebrates - Birds - Other Birds
Formal Taxonomy
Animalia - Craniata - Aves - Charadriiformes - Alcidae - Cepphus - Composed of two groups: COLUMBA of western North America and eastern Siberia and SNOWI of the Kuril Islands (AOU 1998). Constitutes a superspecies with C. GRYLLE and possibly C. CARBO of Asia (AOU 1998).
Migration
true - true - false - Generally sedentary; probably almost wholly resident at least as far north as British Columbia and Washington, also throughout Gulf of Alaska and Aleutians (Johnsgard 1987). Arrives in breeding sites in central California in early March (Nelson 1987).
Non-migrant
true
Locally Migrant
true
Food Comments
Diet mainly small fishes (e.g., blennies, sculpins, sand launce, smelt, etc.); generally inshore benthic species; also includes mollusks, crustaceans, and marine worms. Forages underwater. Off southern British Columbia, foraging birds occurred mainly in areas where water depth was 10-20 m (Clowater and Burger 1994).
Reproduction Comments
Breeding begins from mid-May in south to mid-June in north. Clutch size is 1 or (usually) 2. Incubation by both sexes, lasts 30-32 days. Young are tended by both adults, can fly at 29-39 days. Yearlings and most 2-yr-olds do not breed; first breeds generally at 3-4 years on Farallon Islands (Nelson 1991). Nests singly or in loose aggregation or small colony. Tends to retain same mate in successive years.
Ecology Comments
High (80%) annual adult survivorship (Nelson 1991).
Length
34
Weight
487
NatureServe Global Status Rank
G5
Global Status Last Reviewed
1996-11-27
Global Status Last Changed
1996-11-27
Other Status

LC - Least concern

Conservation Status Map
<img src="http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/servlet/GetMapGif?CA.BC=S4&US.AK=S5&US.CA=SNR&US.OR=S5&US.WA=S4" alt="Conservation Status Map" style="width: 475px; height: auto;" />
Global Range
H - >2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles) - H - BREEDS: northern Alaska south to Aleutians, along coast to southern California; in Eurasia from Chukotski Peninsula south to Kurile Islands. WINTERS: Aleutian Islands south to central California; in Eurasia generally near breeding grounds, casually to Japan.
Global Range Code
H
Global Range Description
>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.106136