Quick Answer
Yes, black guillemots are able to fly. They are seabirds that belong to the auk family and have short wings and heavy bodies adapted for swimming underwater to catch fish, their main prey. However, black guillemots are also strong fliers and use their flying abilities to migrate long distances and move between nesting and feeding grounds. Their flying style involves rapid wingbeats and direct, low flights over the water.
Black Guillemot Biology
The black guillemot (Cepphus grylle) is a medium-sized seabird that breeds on rocky coasts and islands in the northern Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Some key facts about black guillemot biology related to flight:
- Black guillemots have a stocky body shape with short, rounded wings and short legs placed far back on the body to provide powerful propulsion for swimming underwater.
- Their wings are adapted for providing lift and thrust for flying. The wings are long and narrow with a pointed tip that reduces drag while flying.
- Black guillemots have strong chest (pectoral) muscles to power wingbeats during flight. The pectoral muscles make up around 20% of their total body mass.
- The bones of the wings and chest are also strong to withstand the mechanical forces of flapping flight. The keel of the breastbone has a large surface area for the attachment of flight muscles.
- Their feather structure includes stiff vanes on the wings and tail to provide lift and reduce drag while flying.
- They weigh around 450-650g, which is light enough for flight while maintaining enough mass for diving underwater.
Overall, the black guillemot has anatomical adaptations such as wing shape, musculature, and feathers that enable efficient flight while still allowing excellent swimming ability.
Flight Abilities and Behaviors
Black guillemots are agile, strong fliers and use flight for critical behaviors:
- Foraging – They fly over the water surface when searching for fish prey, dipping down to snatch fish when spotted.
- Migration – They migrate over long distances, up to 2,500 km between breeding and wintering grounds. Their powerful flight allows sustained travel over open ocean.
- Travel between colonies – They fly daily between nesting colonies and feeding areas which may be widely separated, sometimes up to 100 km distant.
- Predator evasion – Their swift flight helps avoid predators like gulls, eagles and falcons.
- Mate attraction – Aerial displays are part of courtship rituals.
- Territory defense – They may engage in aerial battles with intruders to defend nesting territories.
Key features of black guillemot flight include:
- Direct, purposeful flight low over the water, usually less than 10 m altitude.
- Rapid wingbeats interspersed with short glides.
- Speed around 60-80 km/hr but can reach up to 110 km/hr.
- Maneuverable – can take off vertically from water and make tight turns.
Their strong flight capabilities allow them to thrive in their island and coastal habitats.
Chick Development
Black guillemot chicks take time to develop the ability to fly after hatching:
- Chicks hatch covered in down feathers and cannot fly.
- They start growing flight feathers around 3 weeks after hatching.
- Chicks fledge (leave the nest) at around 5-6 weeks old.
- Fledglings cannot fly well initially. Parent birds continue to feed and protect them.
- Juveniles improve flying skills over several weeks and become independent.
So although black guillemot chicks learn to fly quickly, it takes 1-2 months after hatching until the juveniles are accomplished fliers. The parents invest significant time and energy caring for the fledglings until they can fly proficiently.
Threats to Flight
While black guillemots are strong fliers, some threats can impair their flight:
- Oil spills – Oil damages feathers, causing hypothermia and flight problems.
- Extreme weather – High winds and storms may blow migrating birds off course.
- Predators – Attacks can injure wings.
- Habitat loss – Fewer nesting sites increases stress and energy expenditure flying farther.
- Prey depletion – Lack of fish calories reduces energy for migratory flights.
- Disease – Parasites and infections can weaken birds and impair flight muscle function.
- Human disturbance – Disruption near colonies causes excessive flight and nest abandonment.
Conservation measures to protect black guillemot populations need to reduce these threats that compromise their essential flight abilities.
Comparison to Other Flying Seabirds
Black guillemots have different flight adaptations compared to other seabirds:
Bird | Key Adaptations | Flight Style |
---|---|---|
Black guillemot | Short, rounded wings. Rapid stiff wingbeats. | Direct low flight. High maneuverability. |
Albatrosses | Very long, narrow wings. Locked shoulder joints. | Soaring and gliding. High endurance. |
Shearwaters | Long, stiff wings. Streamlined bodies. | Strong direct flight. High migratory performance. |
Cormorants | Broad wings. Large wing area. | Powerful flight for fishing. High load capacity. |
Auks | Small stiff wings. Dense bones. | Direct rapid flight. High maneuverability. |
The black guillemot has flight specializations resembling other auks that prioritize maneuverability over soaring or long-distance flight. Their compact wings provide enough power to fly between feeding and breeding areas and migrate moderate distances.
Conclusion
In summary, the black guillemot is a seabird species well adapted for both swimming and flight. Their short rounded wings, strong chest muscles, and stiff feathers provide the lift, power, and maneuverability necessary for their way of life. They are agile fliers that use flight for foraging, migration, traveling between colony and feeding sites, predator avoidance, courtship, and territorial defense. Black guillemot chicks need 1-2 months to develop flight abilities after hatching. Threats like oil spills, habitat loss, and human disturbance can impair their essential flying skills. Overall, the black guillemot’s ability to fly allows it to survive and thrive in the coastal environments it inhabits.