Breeding biology of the pigeon guillemot (Aves: Cepphus)

• Main Author: Drent, Rudolf Herman
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: University of British Columbia 1961
• Subjects: Pigeon guillemot; Cepphus grylle
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/40299

The Pigeon Guillemot (Cepphus grylle columba), a member of the Auk family, was studied by the writer at Mandarte Island, British Columbia, in the summers of 1959 and 1960. Banding and the keeping of nest records had commenced at this colony in 1957, so that on many questions four years' data are available. Colour-banded adults and banded immatures of known age, were basic to the study. Behaviour, and social structure of the colony, are described on the basis of these banded birds. Incubation temperatures and rhythm were investigated with thermocouples. Feeding, growth of the chick in weight from hatching to nest departure, and the advent of thermoregulation, are treated. Placed in an appendix are statistics on egg and chick mortality up to the point of nest departure. Science, Faculty of Zoology, Department of Graduate