The crested auklet is a stocky seabird that is 9.5-10.5 inches (24-27 cm) in length, with a wingspan of 13-20 inches (35-50 cm).
It has dark brown to black feathers. In breeding season, it has a white plume beside its eyes and a crest of feathers that curls forward on the top of its head. It has a bright orange bill, a very short tail, and webbed black feet.
Males and females look the same.
The crested auklet nests on island coasts with lots of rocks and boulders. In the non-breeding season, it lives on the open ocean.
The crested auklet eats plankton.
The crested auklet nests in large colonies. The female crested auklet usually lays just one egg in the boulders and crevices in cliffs. The egg hatches in a little over a month. T
he auklet stores plankton in a pouch under its tongue to feed to the chick. The chick fledges in a little over a month.
The crested auklet has a lifespan of 7-8 years in the wild.
The crested auklet is built for life in the water. Its feet are set back on its body, making the crested auklet awkward on land. It is a good swimmer and dives for food from the water’s surface.
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In the U.S., the crested auklet lives and breeds on islands and beaches off the coast of Alaska. and on islands on the Bering Sea.
It also breeds on islands in the Sea of Okhotsk, bordered by Russia and Japan. It winters in the open ocean.
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