Latin: Aethia pusilla
Unangan: Chuuchkiî
Russian: Конюга-крошка
Least auklets are the smallest member of the Alcid family (the Auks), a family that includes the puffins, auklets, murres, and murrelets. The Least Auklet is a tiny seabird that is only about 15 cm (6 inches) long.
The Least Auklets main habitat is the Bering Sea/North Pacific Oceans and the northern islands (including the Pribilofs) during breeding season. During the nesting season, Least Auklets nests in boulder fields, talus slopes, lava flows, and rock crevices. There is no nest built, rather the egg is laid on bare rock, pebbles, or in soil. Nests may be re-used by the same pair of birds for multiple seasons. The trilling vocal calls can be heard in the Pribilofs at Ulakai Ridge St. George Island, East Landing or Antone Lake, St. Paul Island. Listen here:
Least Auklets forage while swimming underwater. Their diet consists of crustaceans and other marine invertebrates. Their summer diet is mainly made up of copepods, amphipods, and euphausiid shrimp.
Least Auklets lay one white egg that is incubated by both parents for approximately 25-39 days. Upon hatching, both parents use their throat pouch to bring food to the chick. After hatching, a Least Auklet chick is ready to fledge (leave the nest) in about 25-33 days.
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