Date: 8/26/25 3:44 pm From: Steve Hampton via Tweeters <tweeters...> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] possible melanism in Pigeon Guillemot
Yes, all-black melanistic Pigeon Guillemots have been documented in the
Salish Sea. We photographed one last year. Here is the eBird report with
pics: https://ebird.org/checklist/S191240167
Copying from the notes there: Including this all black guillemot. Seen with
Jim Danzenbaker and Hillary Smith. Thank you to Hillary for managing these
photographs as the bird was quite distant at times. Per Peter Pyle, likely
a melanistic juvenile based on fresh plumage and pinkish legs. Though, in
Japan and the Russian Far East, there is a form ("snowi") that can be all
black. Peter brought this apparent melanistic PIGU to my attention, from
Semiahmoo Oct 7, 2023: https://ebird.org/checklist/S151648445
On Tue, Aug 26, 2025 at 3:05 PM pan via Tweeters <tweeters...>
wrote:
> Tweets,
>
> Yesterday morning, Alec Roseto and I observed a Pigeon Guillemot at fairly
> close range foraging and resting on the water near West Point in Seattle's
> Discovery Park. The bird's plumage was all black, except for some
> occasional white bits visible if the undertail feathers were disturbed.
> Its feet were dark dusky gray to brown, with some dark orange parts. Bill
> and eyes were dark, and we didn't get to see the inside of the mouth. The
> plumage looked to be in good shape, not worn or tattered.
>
> Immatures present now are in typical mottled gray and white plumage,
> though wing patches can be inconspicuous. Adults are in typical breeding
> plumage, with large white wing patches, though some are worn or mottled,
> and with bright red legs and feet. Birds of the World says first year
> summer plumage has more dark feathering in the white wing patches. It also
> says immature birds have duller feet, dark gray to dull orange as they
> age.
>
> Oiled birds aren't usually so black, and usually show some difference in
> feather condition or texture from unstained birds.
>
> Birds of the World says there are no records of melanism in Pigeon
> Guillemot, but there are reports of melanism, including the absence of
> white wing patches, in the closely related Black Guillemot from five
> countries.
>
> It seems likely this is a melanistic Pigeon Guillemot, which could affect
> both feather and leg/foot color.
>
> 26 August, 2025,
>
> Alan Grenon
> panmail AT mailfence PERIOD com
> Seattle
>
>
> Ewins, P. J. (2020). Pigeon Guillemot (*Cepphus columba*), version 1.0.
> In Birds of the World (A. F. Poole and F. B. Gill, Editors). Cornell Lab of
> Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA.
>
> Butler, R. G., D. E. Buckley, D. N. Nettleship, P. F. D. Boesman, and E.
> Garcia (2020). Black Guillemot (*Cepphus grylle*), version 1.0. In Birds
> of the World (S. M. Billerman, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca,
> NY, USA.
>
>
> --
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