Crested Auklet
Image: F. Deines, USFWS (Public domain)
NameCrested Auklet
Common NameCrested Auklet
Scientific NameAethia cristatella
FamilyAlcidae
Wingspan (cm)65
Length (cm)26
Weight (g)290
Plumage DetailsOverall sooty-gray to blackish plumage, appearing slightly paler on the belly. Features a prominent, forward-curving crest of black feathers on the forehead, and thin white plumes extending backward from behind the eye. The bill is bright orange with a yellow tip, and the eyes are white.
Vocalization / CallKnown for a distinctive, low-pitched, growling or barking call, often described as 'woof-woof' or a series of 'a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-ah' sounds. They are very vocal, especially within their dense breeding colonies.
Primary Dietcarnivore
Primary Habitatscoastal
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Geographic RangeBreeds on islands in the Bering Sea and North Pacific Ocean, including the Aleutian Islands, Kuril Islands, and islands off Siberia and Alaska. Winters in open ocean waters of the North Pacific.
Identifying Featuresforward-curving crest, bright orange bill with yellow tip, white eye, white post-ocular plumes, dark sooty-gray plumage
Description
This small, dark seabird is instantly recognizable by its distinctive forward-curving crest and bright orange bill. Highly social, it forms vast breeding colonies on rocky islands and forages for zooplankton in the cold waters of the North Pacific.
