Guillemot  (Uria aalge)

IUCN Red List species status – Least Concern
Loading loading

Facts – Guillemot

French: Guillemot de Troïl
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumChordata
ClassAves
OrderCharadriiformes
FamilyAlcidae
GenusUria (1)
SizeWingspan: 61-73 cm (2)
Length: 38-46 cm (2)

Status – Guillemot

The guillemot is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List (1). Receives general protection under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, and listed under Appendix III of the Berne Convention (2). Included in the Birds of Conservation concern Amber list (medium conservation concern) (3).

Description – Guillemot

The guillemot (Uria aalge) is the commonest member of the auk family in the British Isles (4). The head as well as the upperparts are dark brown in colour; the underparts are white. In winter a variable part of the head also becomes white (4). A 'bridled' form occurs in which the eye is bordered with white, and a white line extends backwards from the eye towards the neck (4). The bill is thin, uniformly dark and pointed, and the tail is short, so that in flight the legs are clearly visible; these features allow the guillemot to be distinguished from the razorbill (Alca torda), which also has darker upperparts (4). Young guillemots in their first summer are generally similar in appearance to adults, but have a white area on the throat (4). In breeding colonies, this species is particularly vocal, producing a variety of calls including a deep 'mmmmm' (4), which has given rise to an alternative common name for this species, the 'murre' (5).

Range – Guillemot

The guillemot occurs in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans (1), breeding on the coasts of the north Pacific and north Atlantic (2). In Britain it breeds in internationally significant numbers (2).

You can view distribution information for this species at the National Biodiversity Network Gateway.
See this species on Google Earth.

Habitat – Guillemot

Inhabiting both coastal and offshore waters, the guillemot nests on coastal cliffs and rock stacks (2).

Biology – Guillemot

Guillemots gather in breeding colonies for the summer. Between May and July, females lay a single egg directly onto cliff ledges; its conical shape prevents it from rolling off (4). At around three weeks of age, the young guillemot leaves the colony before it has fledged, and dramatically plunges into the sea accompanied by the adult male (6), who will care for the young at sea until it becomes independent a couple of months later (2), (7). Shortly after leaving the breeding colonies between June and August, adult guillemots undergo the main annual moult, and become flightless for around six to seven weeks (7).

During the winter guillemots disperse fairly widely, with young birds covering the greatest distances (7). Throughout the year, the diet consists mainly of various small species of fish, as well as crustaceans, marine worms and molluscs. Sand eels are particularly important during summer (2). Guillemots dive to obtain food (2), 'flying' under water with their wings (6).

Threats – Guillemot

Historically, guillemots and their eggs were taken for food, and adults were shot for sport, but this largely ceased after the 1930s. Current threats include oil pollution (2). Although not a current problem, food shortage, thought to be caused mainly by over-fishing, is a potential threat (8). All auks are rendered particularly susceptible to oil pollution by their diving habits (2), and in recent years local incidents of mass mortality caused by starvation have occurred in Scotland (2). Food shortage may prove to be the most serious threat to this species in the long-term (2).

Conservation – Guillemot

Research into the effects of large-scale fishing on species of auks, particularly into the effects of industrial fishing of sand eels, is required (2). Furthermore, oil pollution and its effects must be minimised (2).

There may be further information about this species available via the National Biodiversity Network Gateway.
View information on this species at the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre.

Find out more – Guillemot

For more information on the guillemot and other bird species:

Authentication

Information authenticated by the RSPB:
http://www.rspb.org.uk/

Glossary

  • Crustaceans: diverse group of arthropods (a phylum of animals with jointed limbs and a hard chitinous exoskeleton) characterised by the possession of two pairs of antennae, one pair of mandibles (mouthparts used for handling and processing food) and two pairs of maxillae (appendages used in eating, which are located behind the mandibles). Includes crabs, lobsters, shrimps, woodlice and barnacles.
  • Molluscs: a diverse group of invertebrates, mainly marine, that have one or all of the following; a horny, toothed ribbon in the mouth (the radula), a shell covering the upper surface of the body, and a mantle or mantle cavity with a type of gill. Includes snails, slugs, shellfish, octopuses and squid.

References

  1. IUCN Red List (May, 2011)
    http://www.iucnredlist.org/
  2. Batten, L.A., Bibby, C.J., Clement, P., Elliot, G.D. and Porter, R.F. (1990) Red Data Birds in Britain. T & A Poyser, London.
  3. RSPB (2003) The population status of birds in the UK
    http://www.rspb.org.uk/Images/5_20625.pdf
  4. Mullarney, K., Svensson, L., Zetterstrom, D., & Grant, P.J. (1999) Collins Bird Guide. HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, London.
  5. Greenoak, F. (1979) All the birds of the air; the names, lore and literature of British birds. Book Club Associates, London.
  6. Hume, R. and Pearson, B. (1993) Seabirds. Hamlyn Ltd, London.
  7. Lack, P. (1986) The Atlas of Wintering Birds in Britain and Ireland. T. & A. D. Poyser Ltd, Calton.
  8. RSPB (2003) Pers. comm.
More

Related species

More

Related species by status

No related species found
More

Related species by group

Loading...
More

Related species by geography

More

Related species by habitat

What's new?

Female Vences' chameleon on leaf

New profile for the Endangered Vences' chameleon. More

Latest from the ARKive blogsubscribe to posts

Loading...
ARKive.org is the place for films, photos and facts about endangered species. Subscribe to our blog today to keep up to date!

To see the latest posts from ARKive please visit http://blog.arkive.org or enable javascript.

Image credit

Bridled guillemot
Bridled guillemot

© David Tipling / www.davidtipling.com

David Tipling Photo Library
Quietways
9 Eccles Road
Holt
Norfolk
NR25 6HJ
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0) 1263 711496
dt@windrushphotos.demon.co.uk
http://www.davidtipling.com

Link to this photo

ARKive species - Guillemot (Uria aalge) Embed this ARKive thumbnail link by copying and pasting the code below.

Terms of Use - The displayed thumbnail may be used as a link from your website to ARKive's online content for private, scientific, conservation or educational purposes only. Portlets may NOT be used within Apps.

MyARKive

MyARKive offers the scrapbook feature to signed-up members, allowing you to organize your favourite ARKive images and videos and share them with friends.

Listen to the Guillemot

Bridled guillemot
Adobe Flash is required to play this recording

Guillemot recordings by Gerrit Vyn

© Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Macaulay Library
Cornell Lab of Ornithology
159 Sapsucker Woods Road
Ithaca
New York 14850
United States of America
Tel: +1 (607) 254-2404
Fax: +1 (607) 254-2439
Email: macaulaylibrary@cornell.edu
Website: www.birds.cornell.edu/MacaulayLibrary