Black Guillemot (Cepphus grylle) - Birds Around Me 0282

The Black Guillemot (Cepphus grylle), affectionately called the Tystie in Scotland, is a distinctive seabird of the auk family (Alcidae), inhabiting the cold waters of the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans. Medium‑sized, it measures about 32–38 cm in length with a wingspan of 52–58 cm, and weighs between 325–550 g.  

Black Guillemot (Cepphus grylle)
Iceland, July 2025

In summer, adults are strikingly beautiful: glossy black plumage offset by bold white wing patches and vivid scarlet legs and feet. Their bills are slender and dark, adapted for catching small fish and invertebrates. In winter, their plumage turns mottled white and gray, offering camouflage against icy landscapes.

  

Black Guillemots are typically found along rocky coasts, cliffs, and islands, where they nest in crevices or under boulders. They often breed in loose colonies, laying 2–3 eggs. Both parents share incubation and chick‑rearing duties. Unlike many seabirds, they are relatively sedentary, remaining close to their breeding grounds year‑round, though Arctic populations migrate south in winter.

  

Feeding is done by diving underwater, sometimes to depths of 20 meters, where they pursue fish, crustaceans, and benthic invertebrates. Agile swimmers, they use their wings to “fly” through water in pursuit of prey.  

The species is currently listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, with stable populations across its range. However, localized threats include oil spills, pollution, and climate change, which affect their marine habitats.  

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Black Guillemot (Cepphus grylle)
Iceland, July 2025

Black Guillemot (Cepphus grylle)
Iceland, July 2025