Spectacled Guillemot
A species of Guillemots Scientific name : Cepphus carbo Genus : Guillemots
Spectacled Guillemot, A species of Guillemots
Botanical name: Cepphus carbo
Genus: Guillemots
Content
Description General Info
Photo By Lars Petersson
Description
This species is about 38 cm (15 in) with red legs, black bill, and a blackish iris. The breeding adult spectacled guillemot is distinctive, mostly plumaged dull sooty-black except for conspicuous white "spectacles" on the face In adult non-breeding plumage, the underparts are white, uniformly tipped very pale grey-brown. Transitional birds are like breeding adults, except the underparts are scaled with white. Sexes are alike, but juveniles are separable from adults. There are no subspecies.
Size
38 cm
Feeding Habits
Spectacled Guillemot primarily consume fish, particularly Pacific sand lance and varieties like sardines and herring, rounded out with invertebrates like crabs and octopuses. They forage nearshore, notably in shallow water and tidal areas, typically close to breeding grounds. Unique diet features include a reliance on benthic species and regional prey like rockfish and Japanese anchovy.
Habitat
The spectacled Guillemot is exclusively marine, residing predominantly along rocky coastal cliffs or slopes and boulder fields. Its breeding habitats are often on predator-free islands or mainland coasts with proximity to shallow foraging waters. The species prefers areas with rich vegetated or rocky sea floors. During winter, they become mostly pelagic, staying close to coastal regions.
Dite type
Piscivorous
General Info
Distribution Area
The spectacled guillemot's range is restricted to the northwestern Pacific Ocean: throughout the Sea of Okhotsk and the Kuril Islands in Russia and on the northern island of Hokkaidō in Japan. Its range overlaps with that of the closely related pigeon guillemot, though it extends further north.
Photo By Lars Petersson
Scientific Classification
Phylum
Chordates Class
Birds Order
Shorebirds Family
Alcidae Genus
Guillemots Species
Spectacled Guillemot