Vancouver Island, located off the west coast of British Columbia, Canada, is home to a diverse array of seabirds. Among the most striking are the black and white seabirds that inhabit the coastal cliffs, offshore rocks, and beaches. These birds stand out due to their distinctive plumage patterns of black, white, and sometimes gray.
Some of the most common black and white seabirds found on Vancouver Island include:
Common Murres
The Common Murre (Uria aalge) is a black and white seabird in the Alcidae family. It has a black head, back, and wings, with a white underside. Its long pointed bill is also black. Murres are pursuit divers, catching fish by swimming underwater using their wings to propel themselves. They nest in large colonies on cliffsides and offshore rocks along the Pacific Coast.
Pigeon Guillemots
The Pigeon Guillemot (Cepphus columba) is a medium-sized alcid with a stout red bill and red legs. In breeding plumage, its head and wing coverts are black, while its back and underside are white. In winter, its dark feathers are edged with white, giving it a scaled appearance. Pigeon Guillemots nest along rocky coasts and feed near shore on fish and invertebrates.
Rhinoceros Auklets
Rhinoceros Auklets (Cerorhinca monocerata) are small, chunky seabirds with a signature upright horn on their bill. Their black back and gray belly is dotted with white patches. They are pursuit divers, catching small fish, crustaceans and other prey. Rhinoceros Auklets nest in burrows on forested islands and rocky outcrops.
Tufted Puffins
With their large triangular bill, yellow head tufts and bold black and white coloration, Tufted Puffins (Fratercula cirrhata) are one of the most easily recognized seabirds on Vancouver Island. They nest in burrows on offshore islands and feed far at sea.
Black Oystercatchers
The Black Oystercatcher (Haematopus bachmani) has completely black plumage, long pink legs, and a long, thick red bill used for prying open mollusks. A year-round resident along rocky coastal shorelines, they feed on mussels, limpets, chitons and other intertidal creatures.
Why Do These Seabirds Have Black and White Plumage?
Many seabirds exhibit bold black and white coloration, an example of countershading camouflage. When viewed from above, the black backs of these birds blends in with the dark water below. From underneath, their white bellies match the sunlight reflected off the ocean surface. This makes the birds difficult to see for both aerial and underwater predators. The contrasting pattern may also help seabirds spot one another against the background seascape.
How Do These Species Differ?
While sharing a similar black and white appearance, these five seabirds have distinct differences when it comes to their size, bill shape, feeding behaviors and habitat preferences.
Size
The seabirds range dramatically in size. Pigeon Guillemots measure around 13 inches long and weigh just over 1 pound. Meanwhile, Common Murres are double that length at 25 inches long with a 3 pound weight.
Bill Shape
Bill shape relates closely to diet. Short, conical bills like those of Pigeon Guillemots allow them to catch small fish near shore. Large, pointed bills like the Common Murre’s allow them to spear swift prey while diving offshore. Specialized bills like the Rhinoceros Auklet’s enable them to vacuum up crustaceans.
Feeding Strategies
These species use various feeding behaviors. The Black Oystercatcher uses its sturdy bill to pry open bivalves attached to rocks along the shore. Meanwhile, the Common Murre plunges into ocean waters and swims in pursuit of fish with its wings.
Habitat
The birds nest in different coastal habitats. Tufted Puffins dig burrows on remote offshore islands, while Black Oystercatchers lay their eggs along rocky intertidal zones closer to shore. Murres gather in extremely dense colonies on cliffsides.
When and Where Are These Species Found?
The distribution and migration of these seabirds varies:
Common Murres
Murres are present along the British Columbia coast year-round. They gather at nesting colonies starting each spring. Their large colony at the Cape St. James Seabird Rocks in Haida Gwaii may contain up to 800,000 breeding birds.
Pigeon Guillemots
Pigeon Guillemots reside along Vancouver Island’s coasts throughout the year. Breeding adults are most noticeable from April to July when they are actively feeding chicks. They often nest in small groups tucked into rocky crevices.
Rhinoceros Auklets
Rhinoceros Auklets are seasonal visitors to Vancouver Island, arriving in early April from southern wintering areas to breed. They depart the colonies again in late summer and autumn. Their populations peak at breeding sites like Pine and Lucy Islands.
Tufted Puffins
Tufted Puffins frequent offshore waters and nesting islands during the summer breeding season. The largest breeding colony in the region is on Triangle Island, where over 100,000 Tufted Puffins nest. They migrate far out to sea in the winter months.
Black Oystercatchers
Black Oystercatchers reside on Vancouver Island throughout the year. They nest along rocky shores starting in April. Regional populations are concentrated at sites like Jagged Island in Barkley Sound.
What Threats Do These Species Face?
Although still abundant in some areas, populations of these black and white seabirds face a variety of threats:
Climate Change
Warming ocean temperatures may alter food availability and nesting habitat suitability for seabirds. Species like the Tufted Puffin could see southern range shifts in coming decades as conditions at traditional sites become less favorable.
Overfishing
Depletion of forage fish populations by commercial fisheries reduces available prey for seabirds. Competition with fisheries that target species like herring and sandlance may impact seabird breeding success.
Oil Spills
Seabird species are vulnerable to oil spills, which can destroy plumage insulation and contaminate prey sources. Murres suffered massive mortality in the nesting colonies following spills like the Exxon Valdez.
Disturbance
Human activities near nesting colonies can displace breeding seabirds. Disturbance from marine vessel traffic, guano harvesting, and egg collecting threatens local populations.
Predators
Increased populations of predators like Bald Eagles and Northwestern Crows associated with human activity can prey heavily on adults, chicks and eggs in seabird colonies.
Why are Seabirds Important?
Seabirds play vital ecological roles in the marine environment:
Guano Fertilization
The abundant guano deposited by seabirds at nesting colonies fertilizes island habitats and surrounding waters, increasing ecosystem productivity.
Nutrient Cycling
Through feeding at sea and nesting on land, seabirds transport essential nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen between marine and terrestrial systems.
Keystone Predators
As abundant mid-level predators, seabirds help regulate prey populations of fish, zooplankton and invertebrates.
Ecosystem Indicators
Seabird population health and breeding success provide important clues about the changing state of marine habitats. Declines can signal ecosystem stress.
Seed Dispersal
Guillemots nesting along forested cliffs aid in seed dispersal and vegetation growth through deposition of nutrient-rich guano.
How Can These Seabirds Be Conserved?
Protecting Vancouver Island’s remarkable seabirds will require proactive conservation measures:
Habitat Protection
Designating important breeding colonies as reserves or National Wildlife Areas limits disruptive human activities. Expanding Marine Protected Areas also provides habitat safeguards.
Oil Spill Prevention
Improving shipping regulations, emergency response protocols, and required safety technology reduces oil spill risk to seabird populations.
Sustainable Fisheries
Managing commercial fisheries to ensure adequate forage fish stocks sustains food availability for seabirds.
Invasive Species Control
Programs to cull invasive predators like rats and American Mink may help restore seabird nesting success.
Climate Change Planning
Identifying seabird sites vulnerable to sea level rise and altered ocean conditions allows development of habitat management and adaptation plans.
Conclusion
The striking black and white seabirds relying on Vancouver Island provide essential ecosystem services, reflect marine health, and serve as iconic symbols of the region’s biodiversity. Through a combination of habitat protections, strong resource management, and active mitigation of emerging threats, these remarkable species can continue thriving along British Columbia’s coast into the future. The diverse assemblage of charismatic Common Murres, plucky Pigeon Guillemots, prehistoric Tufted Puffins, and other seabirds persisting in the region remain integral components of a vibrant coastal ecosystem.