Whiskered Auklet

Overview

The whiskered auklet (Aethia pygmaea) is a small seabird belonging to the auk family. It is one of the smallest members of this family, surpassed only in size by the closely related least auklet. This species is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Identification

• It features long white feathers on its face that are part of its breeding plumage, from which its common name is derived.
• The plumage possesses a distinct citrus smell, a trait it shares with the crested auklet.

Habitat

This species has a restricted range, living and breeding around the Aleutian Islands and on some islands off Siberia, such as the Commander Islands. It does not undertake migration but instead attends its breeding islands year-round, an unusual trait in its family where it has also been shown to roost on land throughout the year.

Diet

Whiskered auklets feed in the inshore zone, usually within 16 km of land, where tidal currents concentrate their prey into dense swarms. They feed predominantly on copepods, specifically Neocalanus plumchrus, during the summer months and switch to euphausiid krill in the fall and winter.

Did you know?

The long white 'whiskers' on their face have been shown to help them sense their way to and out of their nests at night. Additionally, fishing boats pose a significant threat to the species because they are strongly attracted to lights at night.