Crested Auklet
Image: Рагимов Михаил (cc-by-nc)
NameCrested Auklet
Common NameCrested Auklet
Scientific NameAethia cristatella
FamilyAlcidae
Wingspan (cm)67.5
Length (cm)26
Weight (g)287.5
Plumage DetailsOverall sooty gray to blackish plumage. Features a prominent forward-curving crest of feathers on the forehead and a thin white stripe extending from behind the eye. The bill is bright orange with a yellow tip, and the legs and feet are reddish-orange.
Vocalization / CallVocalizations include a variety of deep, guttural growls, barks, and grunts, particularly noticeable in their dense breeding colonies.
Primary Dietcarnivore
Primary Habitatscoastal waters, rocky islands, pelagic
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Geographic RangeFound in the North Pacific Ocean, including the Bering Sea, Sea of Okhotsk, and Kuril Islands. Breeds on islands from the Aleutian chain to the Commander Islands and Sakhalin.
Identifying FeaturesProminent forward-curving forehead crest, Bright orange bill with yellow tip, White stripe behind the eye, Dark, sooty gray plumage, Small, stocky body
Description
The Crested Auklet is a small, stocky seabird characterized by its distinctive forward-curving crest of feathers on its forehead and a bright orange bill. These highly social birds are agile swimmers, diving for zooplankton and small invertebrates in the cold waters of the North Pacific.
