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Help develop a Bird ID tool!

Pigeon Guillemot

Cepphus columba ORDER: CHARADRIIFORMES FAMILY: ALCIDAE

IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern

A seabird of the northern Pacific, the Pigeon Guillemot is found along rocky coasts from Alaska to California. It spends more time close to shore than other members of the puffin family.

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Appearance

Gull-like
Gull-like
Typical Voice

Adult Description

  • Medium-sized to small waterbird.
  • Thin, straight bill.
  • Large white wing patches crossed by black bar.
  • Bright red feet.
  • Relatively long, thick neck.
  • All black with white wing patches in summer.
  • Mostly white with dusky back in winter.

Immature Description

Similar to nonbreeding adult, but with more mottling on head and neck, and black markings breaking the white wing patches.

Range Map Help

Pigeon Guillemot Range Map
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Field MarksHelp

  • Adult breeding
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    Pigeon Guillemot

    Adult breeding
    • © 2004 Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Margo Dodd Park, California
  • Adult
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    Pigeon Guillemot

    Adult
    • © 2004 Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Farallon Islands, California
  • Adult
    Zoom In

    Pigeon Guillemot

    Adult
    • © 2004 Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Seward, Alaska

Similar Species

  • White-winged Scoter larger and heavier, with small white patch only on rear of wing.
  • Black Guillemot, which overlaps in distribution only in the Bering Sea, is very similar, but has white wing linings and lacks a broad black wedge across each white wing patch. Black Guillemot may show a thin black line down the middle of the white wing patch.