Category: – Common Guillemot

2023.08.26 update

Common Guillemot observation update 2023

Teuri Island is the only breeding site of the Common Guillemot in Japan.
At one time the birds’ population was reduced to 13 birds, but their numbers are now recovering.

This year again, Common Guillemots are seen bringing food back to the nest. Bringing food back to the nest means that chicks are born, and the circle of life continues for these species, which is a very comforting thing to know! The first confirmation was made on 8th of July, so it seems that the Common Guillemot’s breeding season is the same as in previous years.

A project was underway on Teuri Island to use decoys to entice them back to the island due to a decline in their population.

This year, the caves that have been used as breeding grounds have become very cramped with decoys and real Common Guillemots, like a crowded train in Tokyo.

This may be why Common Guillemots have been frequently seen perched on rocks other than the breeding caves since the beginning of July this year.

Pelagic Cormorants also breed on this rocky area and congregate in large numbers in the adjacent hollows. This spot is not visible from land, and can only be observed from a seabird watching boat.

Observation of Common Guillemots went well, as they have been seen flying in groups and floating in the sea in numbers of up to 50.

Common Guillemots fly in flocks
Common Guillemots floating in a flock

The Common Guillemot population, which was reduced to 13 birds in 2002, has been steadily increasing and now exceeds 100 birds. However, there is only one breeding site in Teuri Island so far and no increase in breeding sites has been confirmed, so we hope that the number of breeding sites will increase next time, as there is concern that the population may plummet if there is only one site and natural enemies appear.

 

Photo & text : Wataru HIMENO

Observation : May-Jul 2023, Teuri Island, Hokkaido

★ Visit our web site of  TEURI ISLAND.

★Contact us to make arrangements for photographing seabirds on Teuri Island and Wildlife of Japan.

★Wildlife videos are also available on Youtube – we have the playlist as well.

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2023.07.30 update

The key highlights for three most popular sea birds on Teuri Island (Spectacled Guillemot, Common Guillemot and Rhinoceros Guillemot)

We have summarized the features of three species of birds in the Auk family that are popular amongst birders visiting Teuri Island: Spectacled Guillemot, Common Guillemot and Rhinoceros Auklet!

(1) Carrying caught fish with their beaks.

The main part of the observation is watching birds bringing fish into their beaks to feed their chicks. This is a common feature of the Auk family, as they are able to swallow fish while swimming in the water and cannot spit out the fish once swallowed to feed the chicks. Hence they fly with several fish in their beak to bring the catch back to the nest.
On Teuri Island, night tours are held every evening during the season (from end of April to the end of July) to observe the 800,000 Rhinoceros Auklets returning to their nests in the evening.

Common Guillemot flies with fish in its beak.

Unlike many other species, Rhinoceros Auklet feed their chicks only once a day, when they finally return home in the evening. Therefore, there are several fish for them to bring into their beaks!

 

(2) Their wings are short and they need to run on the surface of the sea to fly away

When diving in the sea, the Auk family swim by flapping their wings underwater. For this reason, their wings are shorter and smaller than those of other birds of the same size, so that they do not create resistance in the water.

Spectacled Guillemot’s wings

The size of a Rhinoceros Auklet’s wings clearly differs when compared to the size of a Black-tailed gull’s wings.

Due to smaller wings, the Auk family birds do not have high flight capabilities and flap their wings more frequently in the air than bird species of the same size. They also need to run on the surface of the sea to gain momentum in order to take off from the sea into air.

Among the most beautiful is the red-footed Spectacled Guillemot, which runs along the surface of the sea. You can only see this view up close from aboard a small seabird-viewing boat. Please come and see this beautiful moment when you visit Teuri Island!

Close-up seabird photography from the observation boat.

A sea birds observation boat in the ‘Teuri blue’ sea.

 

Photo & text : Wataru HIMENO

Observation : May-Jul 2023, Teuri Islaand, Hokkaido

★ Visit our web site of  TEURI ISLAND.

★Contact us to make arrangements for photographing seabirds on Teuri Island and Wildlife of Japan.

★Wildlife videos are also available on Youtube – we have the playlist as well.

 

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