Pigeon Guillemot look-alikes
Cepphus columba
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Open the appSeveral birds can be mistaken for the Pigeon Guillemot. Compare the key differences below to confirm your sighting.
Birds to compare
Black Guillemot
Cepphus grylle
Key differences
The Black Guillemot (Atlantic and Arctic) is very similar in breeding plumage but has a larger, rounder white wing patch that lacks the black bar seen on the Pigeon Guillemot. Its range is also primarily Atlantic and Arctic, with minimal overlap. Non-breeding plumages are also very similar, but the Black Guillemot tends to have more white on the head and underparts.
Spectacled Guillemot
Cepphus carbo
Key differences
Found in the western Pacific (Japan, Korea, Russia). Breeding plumage is entirely black with a distinctive white 'spectacle' around the eye, lacking the white wing patch of the Pigeon Guillemot. Legs are also red.
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