- Aethia psittacula
Identification
23 cm
- Short orange bill
- Dark upperparts
- White underparts
- 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, JF. 2009. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2009. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
- Avibase
- Wikipedia
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Parakeet Auklet. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 9 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Parakeet_Auklet
