The least auklet is a seabird and the smallest species of auk. It is the most abundant seabird in North America, and one of the most abundant in the world, with a population of around nine million birds. They breed on the islands of Alaska and Siberia, and spend the winter close to the edge of the ice sheet. Their largest colonies are on the Aleutian Islands, St. Lawrence Island and Little Diomede Island.
Region
Bering Sea and North Pacific Rim
Typical Environment
Breeds on offshore islands of Alaska (Aleutians, Pribilofs, St. Lawrence, Little Diomede) and the Russian Far East, including Chukotka and the Commander Islands. Nests in talus slopes, lava fields, and coastal boulder piles close to the sea. Outside the breeding season it disperses over the Bering Sea, North Pacific, and Sea of Okhotsk, often near the seasonal pack-ice edge. Foraging concentrates over continental shelf waters, tidal fronts, and upwelling zones. It rarely ventures far inland, remaining tied to marine environments year-round.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 400 m
Climate Zone
Polar
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The least auklet is the smallest of the auks and one of the most numerous seabirds on Earth. It breeds in immense, noisy colonies in rock crevices and boulder fields, often numbering hundreds of thousands of birds. Its pale eye gives a striking, ‘staring’ look at close range. They specialize on tiny zooplankton, especially copepods, and track ocean fronts and the seasonal edge of sea ice.
Staffer from the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge holding a least auklet
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats, low over water
Social Behavior
Forms extremely dense colonies and nests in rock crevices, often returning to the same sites each year. Pairs are monogamous within a season and both parents incubate and feed the chick. At colonies, birds engage in constant vocalizations and communal displays on rocks and talus.
Migratory Pattern
Seasonal migrant
Song Description
At colonies it produces fast, rattling chatters, trills, and purring notes, often delivered in short bursts. Calls carry well over surf noise and help mates and neighbors maintain contact among dense nesting crevices.
