guillemot
guillemot — noun
- guillemotsingular
- guillemotsplural
1. a sea bird with a black back and head, a white belly, and a long thin beak, foun
a sea bird with a black back and head, a white belly, and a long thin beak, found on cold northern coastlines and known for nesting on steep cliffs in huge groups
A group of guillemots stood on the narrow cliff ledge, their white chests facing the sea.
collocation: narrow cliff ledge / steep cliff
During the boat trip along the Norwegian coast, Priya spotted dozens of guillemots diving for fish in the icy water.
habitat: cold northern coastlines
The guillemot laid a single egg directly on the bare rock of the clifftop with no nest at all.
Every spring, thousands of guillemots return to the same stretch of rocky coastline to raise their young.
- common murre
North American name for the same bird; 'guillemot' is more common in British English
- Uria aalge
scientific species name, not used in everyday speech
2. any of several small seabirds of northern oceans that have dark brown or black f
any of several small seabirds of northern oceans that have dark brown or black feathers with small pale patches on the wings and a short tail
During the Arctic summer, the black guillemot turns mostly white on its wing patches, making it easier to see against the dark water.
distinctive feature: white wing patches
The researchers counted over two hundred guillemots of the Cepphus genus nesting in cracks along the fjord cliffs.
scientific context: Cepphus genus
Unlike the larger common murre, the small dark guillemots feed closer to shore and often stay near rocky islands.
- Cepphus guillemot
technical ornithological term that specifies the genus
- tystie
Scottish dialect name for the black guillemot; rarely used outside the UK
用法筆記
Birds of the Cepphus genus are noticeably smaller than the common guillemot (sense 1). The term is most often encountered in birdwatching guides and scientific writing.