- Aethia cristatella
Identification
18–20 cm (7-7¾ in)
- Dark brown- black
- Breeding birds have a white plume beside the eye
- Crest on top of head, above eye
- Eye pale
- Yellow-tipped reddish-orange bill
- Short tail
- Black, webbed feet
- Sexes alike
Juvenile: dark overall plumage, lacks crest (or it is at least reduced), bill dark, eye not pale.
Distribution
Breeds western Alaska and eastern Siberia; winters south to Japan.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species[1].
Habitat
Open sea; breeds on remote islands among boulders and on scree slopes.
Behaviour
Diet
The diet includes plankton, fish and krill.
Breeding
Colonial nesters. A single egg is laid in the rocks and is incubated for 4 weeks. A month later, the young will fledge.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2017. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2017, with updates to August 2017. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Natureworks
- Wikipedia
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Crested Auklet. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 3 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Crested_Auklet
