Photo: Becky Matsubara from El Sobrante, California / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Pigeon Guillemot
Cepphus columba
Pigeon Guillemot (Cepphus columba) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 18 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Pigeon Guillemot (Cepphus columba) is a member of the Alcidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia and North America. Adults weigh 530 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Charadriiformes
- Family Alcidae Auks
- Genus Cepphus
- Species columba
Where it lives
Arctic to temperate northwest to east-central North Pacific coasts: southern Chukotka to Kamchatka, Kuril and Commander is. (eastern Russia); Bering Sea and Aleutian Is., Gulf of Alaska to central California
Quick facts
- Weight
- 530 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Alcidae
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Pigeon Guillemot hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of open sea and coastal waters, it swims and feeds in and around water.
Migration
The Pigeon Guillemot is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Pigeon Guillemot (Cepphus columba) is a member of the Alcidae family, within the order Charadriiformes. It occurs naturally across Europe & Northern Asia and North America. Its distribution covers PAL, NA Arctic to temperate nw to ec North Pacific coasts: s Chukotka to Kamchatka, Kuril and Commander is. (e Russia); Bering Sea and Aleutian Is., Gulf of Alaska to c California.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 530 g, with a wing length of about 17.3 cm and a tail of around 4.6 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 1.7 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Pigeon Guillemot?
The Pigeon Guillemot is a large bird that weighs around 530 g.
Where does the Pigeon Guillemot live?
The Pigeon Guillemot is found across Europe & Northern Asia and North America with a range covering PAL, NA Arctic to temperate nw to ec North Pacific coasts: s Chukotka to Kamchatka, Kuril and Commander is. (e Russia); Bering Sea and Aleutian Is., Gulf of Alaska to c California, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Pigeon Guillemot belong to?
The Pigeon Guillemot (Cepphus columba) belongs to the Alcidae family, in the order Charadriiformes.
What does the Pigeon Guillemot eat?
The Pigeon Guillemot hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Pigeon Guillemot migrate?
The Pigeon Guillemot is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Pigeon Guillemot endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Pigeon Guillemot make?
1 real field recording of the Pigeon Guillemot — including its alarm call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Pigeon Guillemot's range?
The Pigeon Guillemot has a mapped global range of about 1.7 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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