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Cepphus grylle

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Black Guillemot

G5Secure Found in 4 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Black Guillemot (Cepphus grylle). © Nathaniel Dargue; Cornell Lab of Ornithology | Macaulay Library.
© Nathaniel Dargue; Cornell Lab of Ornithology | Macaulay Library
Black Guillemot (Cepphus grylle). © Christoph Moning; Cornell Lab of Ornithology | Macaulay Library.
© Christoph Moning; Cornell Lab of Ornithology | Macaulay Library
Black Guillemot (Cepphus grylle). © Toby Carter; Cornell Lab of Ornithology | Macaulay Library.
© Toby Carter; Cornell Lab of Ornithology | Macaulay Library
Black Guillemot (Cepphus grylle). © Sam Zhang; Cornell Lab of Ornithology | Macaulay Library.
© Sam Zhang; Cornell Lab of Ornithology | Macaulay Library
Black Guillemot (Cepphus grylle). © Matt Felperin; Cornell Lab of Ornithology | Macaulay Library.
© Matt Felperin; Cornell Lab of Ornithology | Macaulay Library
Black Guillemot (Cepphus grylle). © Ryan O'Donnell; Cornell Lab of Ornithology | Macaulay Library.
© Ryan O'Donnell; Cornell Lab of Ornithology | Macaulay Library
Black Guillemot (Cepphus grylle). Photo by U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Public Domain (U.S. Government Work), via ECOS.
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, https://www.usa.gov/government-works
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.105639
Element CodeABNNN05010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAves
OrderCharadriiformes
FamilyAlcidae
GenusCepphus
Other Common Names
Guillemot à miroir (FR)
Concept Reference
American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1998. Check-list of North American birds. Seventh edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. [as modified by subsequent supplements and corrections published in The Auk]. Also available online: http://www.aou.org/.
Taxonomic Comments
Constitutes a superspecies with C. columba and possibly C. carbo of Asia (AOU 1998).
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2016-04-07
Change Date1996-11-27
Edition Date2010-02-01
Edition AuthorsHammerson, G.
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Widespread; most regions report stable or increasing populations, following earlier declines.
Range Extent Comments
Breeding range extends from the eastern Canadian Arctic and western Greenland south to the Gulf of Maine, east to the northern British Isles, Scandanavia, and Baltic Sea, and east along northern Russia to the Chukchi and Beaufort seas, including Alaska (Butler and Buckley 2002). In winter, most tend to stay near breeding areas (if open water is available).
Occurrences Comments
Many occurrences throughout northern waters, primarily in the eastern Arctic and north Atlantic.
Ecology & Habitat

Description

Breeding adults are black, with a large white patch on each wing (coverts), nearly immaculate white underwing coverts, bright red legs and feet, slender black bill, and bright red mouth lining. Adults in nonbreeding plumage have white underparts and white-fringed black feathers on the head and upperparts, so they look mottled or finely barred; birds from arctic populations are much white. Juveniles are similar to winter adults but have more extensive dark mottling (especially on the head and neck), and the white patch on the upper wing surface is broken by blackish feathers. Sexes are alike in all plumages. Length is around 13 inches (33 cm).

Habitat

Black guillemots nest in holes under rocks (rarely in ground) on rocky islands, among boulders at base of coastal cliffs, in or under beach flotsam and other human debris (e.g., in northern Alaska), or in coastal cliff crevices. Females tend to nest in the same site in successive years. In winter, they inhabit rocky seacoasts, open sea, or margins of landfast ice, seldom far from shore.

Ecology

Despite larger clutch size, breeding success (about 0.6-0.8 young fledged per pair) is similar to that one other alcids that lay only 1 egg (Harris and Birkhead 1985).

Reproduction

Eggs are laid mainly in May-June in southeastern Canada, late June-early July in Beaufort Sea area (Johnson and Herter 1989). Clutch size is 1-2. Incubation, by both sexes, lasts 23-39 days (average 4-4.5 weeks). Young are tended by both parents; most leave the nest area and are independent by 31-51 days. Individuals first breed at an age of 2+ years. Nesting usually occurs in small groups or as single pairs.
Terrestrial Habitats
Bare rock/talus/screeCliff
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN5B,N5N
ProvinceRankNative
Northwest TerritoriesSUYes
OntarioSNAYes
LabradorS4BYes
Prince Edward IslandS2BYes
QuebecS4BYes
ManitobaSNAYes
NunavutS5Yes
Yukon TerritoryS1BYes
Nova ScotiaS4BYes
Island of NewfoundlandS5BYes
New BrunswickS3BYes
United StatesN4
ProvinceRankNative
MassachusettsS4NYes
New HampshireS3Yes
New JerseySNAYes
AlaskaS2Yes
MaineS4N,S5BYes
Rhode IslandSNAYes
New YorkSNRNYes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
11 - Climate change & severe weatherPervasive (71-100%)UnknownLow (long-term)
11.1 - Habitat shifting & alterationPervasive (71-100%)UnknownLow (long-term)

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Roadless Areas (4)
Alaska (4)
AreaForestAcres
College FiordChugach National Forest1,130,818
College FiordChugach National Forest1,130,818
Kenai MountainsChugach National Forest306,600
Kenai MountainsChugach National Forest306,600
References (33)
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  2. American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1998. Check-list of North American birds. Seventh edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. [as modified by subsequent supplements and corrections published in <i>The Auk</i>]. Also available online: http://www.aou.org/.
  3. Barrett, R. T., and W. Vader. 1990. The status and conservation of breeding seabirds in Norway. Pages 323-333 in Croxall et al., eds. Status and conservation of the world's seabirds. ICBP Tech. Pub. No. 2.
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  13. Evans, P. G. H. 1984a. The seabirds of Greenland: their status and conservation. Pages 49-84 in Croxall et al., eds. Status and conservation of the world's seabirds. ICBP Tech. Pub. No. 2.
  14. Evans, P. G. H. 1984b. Status and conservation of seabirds in northwest Europe (excluding Norways and the USSR). Pages 293-321 in Croxall et al., eds. Status and conservation of the world's seabirds. ICBP Tech. Pub. No. 2.
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