Page 230 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

SKUAS, GULLS,AND TERNS
Order Charadriiformes Family Alcidae Species Cepphus grylle
Black Guillemot
dark around
eye
black bars on wing patch, neat black
otherwise same plumage head small, sharp,
as winter adult dagger-like
bill
oval patch on
each wing,
above and below
JUVENILE
bold white
ADULT wing patch
(SUMMER)

smoky black
body bright
IN FLIGHT red legs
ADULT
(SUMMER)
ot nearly so social as other
Nauks, the Black Guillemot
prefers small islets and rocky
headlands around northern coasts
and archipelagos where pairs swim about
close to the shore all year round.These expert
swimmers and divers often penetrate far into deep
inlets in quiet, calm waters. In summer, their unique plumage makes
them easily identifiable.They are distinctive in winter as well, when FLIGHT: low, quick, direct, with fast, whirring
they retain the clean white wing patches, but have a mottled white wingbeats.
back and a dusky cap and eye patch.The winter bird may be AWKWARD ON LAND
confused with similar-looking species when encountered Black Guillemots usually sit
unexpectedly but the pale head and horizontally, less upright than
pointed bill help to separate it from Guillemots, and are not as agile
ducks and grebes. on land as Puffins.
VOICE Shrill, high whistle extends
into fast trill; quick, thin sip-sip-sip
notes occasionally heard.
NESTING Crevice or cavity between
boulders, or hole in harbour wall;
1 egg; 1 brood; May–June.
FEEDING Dives underwater to catch
small fish and crustaceans.
SIMILAR SPECIES
OCCURRENCE
no white wing PUFFIN stumpy tail blacker Breeds on coasts in N Europe,
patches see p.227 above
thick bill usually around rocky islets with
boulders and cavities in rocks.
Usually resident, only rare
elsewhere in winter. Strictly
marine, extremely rare inland.
black
GUILLEMOT winter; wings SLAVONIAN GREBE Seen in the UK
see p.229 winter; see p.62 J F M A M JJ A S O N D
Length 30–32cm (12–12 1 ⁄2in) Wingspan 52–58cm (20 1 ⁄2 –23in) Weight 340–450g (12–16oz)
Social Family groups Lifespan Up to 10 years Status Declining
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