- Aethia psittacula
Identification
23–25 cm (9-10 in)br />
- Short orange bill
- Dark upperparts
- White underparts
- Yellowish gape
- A white plume projects back from the eye
Distribution
North Pacific and Bering Sea; winters to Japan and southern California
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species[1] which was previously placed in the genus Cyclorrhynchus.[2]
Habitat
Breeds on off-shore islands, on cliffs, slopes and amongst boulders. The rest of their time is spent at sea.
Behaviour
Diet
They feed on krill and small crustraceans.
Breeding
The breeding season starts in April and May. Colonial breeders with other auk species. The single egg is placed in a crevice or under a boulder and incubated for about a month. The chick fledges after 35 days, flying out to sea on its own.
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/
- Avibase
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved Sept 2017)
- Wikipedia
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Parakeet Auklet. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 11 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Parakeet_Auklet
