Pigeon Guillemot Breeding Survey begins in June

by Bob Phreaner

Pigeon Guillemots (PIGU) are comical, engaging seabirds and an important indicator species for marine ecosystems across the Salish Sea. They harvest the nearshore waters for small fish to feed their developing chicks who are growing in burrows dug in the bluffs above beaches.

To better understand their population dynamics and their role in healthy coastal ecosystems, PIGU monitoring started in 2003 on Whidbey Island and now ranges from South Puget Sound north to Whidbey Island. Our local survey began in 2015 and is coordinated jointly by Clallam County Marine Resources Committee and OPAS.

Volunteer observers enjoy sitting quietly for one hour each week on a local beach, watching and recording burrow visits and being entertained by the sounds and antics of these seabirds. After observing Pigeon Guillemot’s clumsy landings in the surf, you will appreciate the evolutionary trade-off these alcids have made to be efficient divers and swimmers needed to capture prey items. In some ways PIGUs remind me of penguins that have become more suited to the water, but unlike penguins these birds are acrobatic fliers as well.

Some volunteers video or record the bird interactions and author Maria Ruth, who is a PIGU project volunteer with Black Hills Audubon, expects her newest book about PIGU behavior and vocalizations to be published soon. PIGU’s are easily identified. In the summer these medium-sized seabirds are all black with white wing patches and bright red feet. To top that, close observation will reveal that the lining of their mouth is also an over-the-top red!

*Pigeon Guillemots. Photo: Bob Phreaner*

Most volunteers return year after year, but there is always a need to recruit additional volunteers for newly identified nesting sites or to be occasional substitutes for vacationing regular volunteers.

As a volunteer observer you will have an assigned location on a beach where Pigeon Guillemots are breeding and feeding their developing chicks. After receiving the required online training new volunteers accompany experienced observers until the rookies are comfortable with the procedures. Observations begin the first week of June and continue for at least 10 weeks. Dressed in neutral colored clothing to blend into the beach, you will arrive at the same early morning time each week. You will record the number of PIGU at the beginning, middle, and end of your survey, the time that they visit their burrow and the type of fish they are carrying.

Don’t worry, after your first day you will be able to identify the gunnels or sculpins that are the most popular forage for our local PIGU. You will also note the time and duration of disturbances to the PIGU such as raptors, walkers, and boats. You will need a clipboard and pencil to record your data, at least 7x binoculars, and a lightweight folding beach chair is recommended. Pigeon Guillemots are very photogenic, but you must pay attention to record the data as well.

Does enjoying quiet mornings on the beach watching birds sound appealing? If interested in becoming a Pigeon Guillemot volunteer and enjoying life on the beach, please contact me (phreaner@aol.com) or Ed Bowlby (edbowlby2@gmail.com).