Measurements
Both Sexes
- Length
- 9.1–10.2 in
23–26 cm - Weight
- 8.4–12.2 oz
238–347 g
Other Names
- Starique perroquet (French)
- (Spanish)
Cool Facts
- Parakeet Auklets frequently eat plastic pellets they find floating at sea. Although eating these pellets probably poses a risk, no harmful effects have yet been demonstrated.
- Unusual bill structure is probably an adaptation for handling slimy gelatinous prey, like jellyfish, although it is unclear exactly how the bill is used.
- On land, Parakeet Auklets walk mostly on their legs and not their toes.
Habitat
Ocean
- Breeds on islands with rock crevices, cliffs, and boulders.
- Restricted to cliff habitats when foxes are present.
- Feeds offshore in deep waters, not at upwellings.
- Winters at sea, far offshore.
Food
Insects
Invertebrates and larval fish.
Nesting
Nesting Facts
- Clutch Size
- 1 eggs
- Egg Description
- Smooth white, sometimes with a slight blue or green tinge.
- Condition at Hatching
- Chicks semiprecocial, covered with dense dark down.
Nest Description
Nests in bare rock crevices or in burrows. No nesting material is added.
Nest Placement
Burrow
Behavior
Surface Dive
Dives for prey. Uses wings for swimming underwater.
Conservation
Least Concern
Overall population trends unknown. Considered sensitive because of vulnerability to introduced predators and increasing gulls on breeding grounds.
Credits
- Jones, I. L., N. B. Konyukhov, J. C. Williams, and G. V. Byrd. 2001. Parakeet Auklet (Aethia psittacula). In The Birds of North America, No. 594 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.