Common Guillemot

🔍 Overview

A sleek seabird, the Common Guillemot is mostly seen off Sussex during winter or on spring sea-watches, though breeding colonies lie further west. Last bred in 1904.

🪶 Key Identification Features

Size: Medium (38–43 cm)
Plumage: Chocolate-brown head and back, white underparts
Distinctive Marks: Thin bill, upright posture when perched
Bill: Slim and black
Tail: Very short
Flight: Rapid wingbeats, low over water

🗺️ Habitat & Distribution

Offshore in winter, often seen from Brighton Marina, Goring Gap, or Shoreham Harbouron migration or post-storm.

🎶 Voice & Behaviour

Usually silent at sea. Swims low in water and dives for fish.

🍴 Diet

Dives for small fish and marine invertebrates.

📸 Birding Tip

Bring a scope for sea-watching between October–March. Look for black-and-white “cigars” riding the swell.