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Pigeon Guillemot Monitoring

Monitoring
three pigeon guillemots on a beach

2025 Pigeon Guillemot Monitoring is underway!

Pigeon Guillemots (PIGU) are comical, engaging seabirds and an important indicator species for marine ecosystems across the Salish Sea.  PIGU nest in burrows found on the bluffs along our beaches, and they search nearshore waters for small fish to feed their developing chicks.  

These seabirds are easily identified in the summer by their 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!

After receiving the required online training, new volunteers accompany experienced observers until they are comfortable with the procedures. Volunteers, dressed in neutral colors, sit quietly for one hour each week at an assigned beach location. The surveyor records the time and number of PIGU, burrow visits, type of fish carried to the burrows, and any disturbances observed from raptors, walkers and boats. Observations begin the first week of June, and continue for at least 10 weeks.

The MRC does not currently need additional volunteers for the 2025 season. Thank you to our volunteer monitoring crew!

The pigeon guillemot is considered an indicator species of nearshore health, since this bird feeds heavily on forage fish and other small marine creatures it catches by diving beneath the surface. In May and June, pigeon guillemots lay eggs and by end of June, the birds are busy providing fish for the juveniles in the burrows.

In 2016, the pigeon guillemot survey project was initiated in collaboration with Island MRC and Olympic Peninsula Audubon Society.  Each survey consists of one hour monitoring of the breeding colony before 9 am, once a week from June through September. The number of survey sites each year depends on the number of volunteer surveyors.

Database and Analysis

The survey data is entered into a regional database, and results made available for the public. The first survey effort in 2016 documented a total of 310 adults, of which 40% attempted to breed. The most common prey items brought to the breeding colonies are gunnels and pricklebacks (2017 - 67%; 2018 - 52%) and sculpins (2017 - 19%; 2018 - 26%). 

 

2024 Results

2024 Annual Pigeon Guillemot Monitoring Report

Pigeon Guillemot Surveys by Year

The 2025 monitoring season will begin in June. Seeking volunteers!

Planned monitoring sites for 2025:

  • Mussel Beach
  • Panorama Vista
  • Port Williams
  • Dungeness Spit
  • Port Angeles
  • MacDonald Bluff
  • Bachelor Rock (Freshwater Bay)

  • 42 volunteers engaged in monitoring
  • 705 volunteer hours contributed
  • 110 hour-long surveys conducted over 15 weeks
  • 9 colonies monitored, with a total estimated population of 258 guillemots
  • 151 deliveries of prey to nesting young observed

2024 Annual Monitoring Report

  • 22 volunteers engaged in monitoring
  • 6 geographical areas monitored

In 2020, 32 volunteers monitored the breeding colonies at six geographic areas including Bachelor Rock, Port Angeles (Crown Park), Dungeness Spit, Port Williams, Panorama Vista (2 sites) and Mussel Beach. Because Port Williams area supports many breeding colonies, this area was divided into 10 sites.

In 2019, 22 volunteer surveyors monitored the breeding colonies at 11 sites. The sites included Bachelor Rock in Freshwater Bay, Dungeness Spit, Port Williams (7 sites), John Wayne Marina and Mussel Beach.

The 2018 monitoring effort got off to a successful start. In early June, 50 volunteers started surveying the breeding colonies at 16 sites. These sites included Bachelor Rock in Freshwater Bay, Port Angeles, Dungeness Spit, Port Williams (8 sites), John Wayne Marina, Panorama Vista (2 sites) and Mussel Beach.

The 2017 monitoring of breeding colonies got underway in early June. The effort was expanded to six areas in Clallam County, including Panorama Vista, Port Williams, Dungeness Spit, McDonald Creek, Port Angeles, and Bachelor Rock in Freshwater Bay. The bluff at Port Williams was very long and required five monitoring sites. The 10 colonies were surveyed by 25 volunteers.

The initial survey effort covered five sites near Sequim of which two were located at Dungeness Spit and three at Port Williams. The weekly surveys were conducted by 14 volunteers.

Pigeon Guillemot Monitoring