Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Common Guillemot (U. aalge) and two Brünnich's Guillemots (U. lomvia) from the genus Uria.



Pigeon Guillemot (C. columba) from the genus Cepphus.

Guillemot

Guillemot is the common name for several species of seabird in the auk family, comprising two genera: Uria and Cepphus. The word apparently derives from a form of the name William, cf. the Welsh: Gwillim or the French: Guillaume.
The Uria are known as murres in North America and, together with the Razorbill, Dovekie and the extinct Great Auk, make up the tribe Alcini. They have distinctly white bellies, thicker, longer bills than Cepphus and form very dense colonies on cliffs during the reproductive season.
The three species of Cepphus - for which the term "guillemot" is generally reserved in North America - form a tribe of their own: Cepphini. They are smaller than the Uria species, have black bellies, rounder heads and bright red feet.

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