Black Guillemot (Cepphus grylle) [XC486668]
by Lars Edenius from Obbolostenarna, Ume\u00e5 Municipality, Sweden (call)
Black Guillemot (Cepphus grylle) [XC656157]
by Paul Archer from Oban Harbour, Oban, Scotland, United Kingdom, United Kingdom (call, duet)
Nest
None. Natural holes and crevices in boulder scree.
Eggs (Guide)
1 - 2; matt, whitish variously tinted buff or bluish-green, heavily blotched blackish- or reddish-brown and grey; oval. Incubation: 30 - 35 days; by both sexes.
Subspecies
Forms superspecies with Pigeon Guillemot (Cepphus columba). Considerable geographical variation throughout range, with subspecific limits uncertain.
The following 5 subspecies are recognised:
mandtii (Lichtenstein, MHK, 1822) - Arctic eastern North America south to Labrador and northern Newfoundland, western and eastern Greenland, Jan Mayen and Svalbard east through eastern Siberia to northern Alaska.
arcticus (Brehm, CL, 1824) - North America (south of mandtii) and southern Greenland to British Is, Norway, south-western Sweden, Denmark, Murmansk and White Sea.
The Reader's Digest Book of British Birds 1980, 3rd Edition, Drive Publications Ltd ISBN 0 340 25308 8
Birds in Colour Campbell, B., 1960, Penguin Books Ltd
The Pocket Guide to Nest and Eggs Fitter, R.S.R., 1954, Collins
RSPB Handbook of British Birds Holden, P., Cleeves, T., 2002, A & C Black ISBN 0 7136 5713 8
Birds of Britain and Europe Sterry, P., et al., 2001, AA Publishing ISBN 0 7495 3068 5
The Popular Handbook of British Birds Hollom, P.A.D., 1973, H.F. & G. Witherby Ltd ISBN 0 85493 002 7