Birds Daytime

Pigeon Guillemot

Cepphus columba

iNaturalist eBird Wikipedia

With their striking red feet and tuxedo-like plumage, Pigeon Guillemots are the most approachable acrobats of the Pacific coastline. These resilient divers bring a touch of wild ocean life right to the docks and rocky shores of coastal backyards.

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Quick Identification

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Size

Length: 30–37 cm (12–14.5 in); Wingspan: 58–70 cm (23–27.5 in); Weight: 450–550 g (1–1.2 lbs)

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Colors

Breeding adults are charcoal-black with a white wing patch containing a dark wedge; non-breeding adults are mottled grey and white. Both have distinctive bright red feet and a red gape (mouth interior).

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Key Features

Bright coral-red legs and feet
Large white wing patch broken by a black triangle
Thin, pointed black bill
Vibrant red interior of the mouth visible during calls

When You’ll See Them

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Activity pattern Active during the day

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Peak hours 6-10 AM and 4-7 PM, following tidal cycles for foraging

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Season April-August during the breeding and nesting season

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Diet Primarily bottom-dwelling fish like blennies, sculpins, and sand lances, as well as small crustaceans and mollusks found in rocky reefs.

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Habitat Rocky coastal shorelines, cliffs, and man-made structures like piers and jetties along the Pacific coast.

Behavior

Pigeon Guillemots are charismatic members of the auk family, often nicknamed "sea pigeons" due to their appearance and the whistling sounds they make. Unlike many of their deep-sea relatives, these birds prefer to stay close to the shore, making them much easier for coastal residents to spot. They are highly social during the breeding season, performing elaborate "water dances" where pairs and groups chase each other in circles on the surface, accompanied by high-pitched piping whistles.

When foraging, they are exceptional divers, using their wings to effectively "fly" underwater. They search the sea floor for bottom-dwelling prey, often staying submerged for 10 to 30 seconds at a time. While they can be wary of direct human approach, they are surprisingly tolerant of human infrastructure and are frequently seen nesting in the crevices of old piers, wharves, and even drainage pipes in busy harbors.

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Camera Tips

To capture high-quality footage of Pigeon Guillemots, your camera placement should focus on "landings." If you have a coastal property with rocky bluffs or a dock, look for white streaks of guano which indicate frequent perching spots. Mount your camera 2–4 feet off the ground, angled slightly upward to catch them as they fly in from the water. Because they are charcoal-colored, use a camera with a high dynamic range to avoid losing detail in their dark feathers against a bright ocean background.

The most sought-after shot is the "delivery." During the summer months, parents carry whole fish in their bills back to their chicks. Set your camera’s trigger speed to its fastest setting and use a burst mode (Photo) or high-frame-rate video to capture the moment they land with a shimmering fish. Positioning a camera near a known nesting crevice—from a safe distance of at least 10 feet to avoid disturbing the nest—is the best way to document this behavior.

In terms of timing, these birds are most active around the shoreline during mid-to-high tides when their prey is more accessible in the shallows. While they don't respond to traditional birdseed, you can sometimes attract them closer to a dock-mounted camera by providing a stable, flat perching surface above the high-water mark. Early morning light is your best friend; the low sun angle will illuminate the brilliant red of their feet and the inside of their mouths when they vocalize, creating a stunning visual contrast with their dark plumage.

Similar Species

Species that look similar or are commonly confused with Pigeon Guillemot.

Black Guillemot

Found in the Atlantic; its white wing patch is solid and lacks the dark black wedge found on the Pigeon Guillemot.

Common Murre

Much larger and lacks the white wing patches; murres have a white 'tuxedo' belly even in breeding season.

Marbled Murrelet

Significantly smaller with a shorter bill; they lack the bright red feet and large white wing patches.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Pigeon Guillemots are strictly diurnal, meaning they are active during daylight. They are most frequently seen near the shore in the early morning and late afternoon, often timing their foraging trips with the tides to maximize their fishing success.

Since they are seabirds, you can only attract them if you live directly on the coast. They are attracted to rocky crevices and man-made structures for nesting. Maintaining a quiet, chemical-free shoreline and providing flat perching areas like a dock or a floating platform can encourage them to hang around.

Their diet consists almost entirely of small, bottom-dwelling fish like sculpins, blennies, and sand lances. They also occasionally snack on small shrimp, crabs, and other crustaceans they find while diving near the sea floor.

They are very common in coastal suburban areas along the Pacific Northwest and California. Unlike many other seabirds that require remote islands, Pigeon Guillemots are famous for nesting in busy harbors and under coastal boardwalks.

The easiest way is geography; Pigeon Guillemots are found in the Pacific, while Black Guillemots are in the Atlantic. Physically, the Pigeon Guillemot has a dark, wedge-shaped feather patch cutting into its white wing spot, which the Black Guillemot lacks.

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