Alcidae Archives - NatureWorks

Alcidae - Auks, Murres, Puffins

The Alcidae family includes the auks, puffins, and murres. The birds in this family look a lot like penguins. They are black and white and stand upright. Like penguins, they are very good swimmers and divers, but unlike penguins, they can fly.

Auks, murres, and puffins have short wings and webbed feet. They live on the open ocean, except during the breeding season. Species in this family are found in the Northern Hemisphere in areas with cold water.

EXTINCT GREAT AUK

One species in this family, the great auk, is extinct. It was once found in breeding colonies on rocky islands and coasts in the North Atlantic in Canada, Greenland, Iceland, the British Isles, and Scandinavia. In the winter, the great auk migrated as far south as Florida.

The great auk was a little over two feet tall. It was black with a white belly, and it had an oval white patch over its eyes. The great auk was hunted for food and fish bait, and for its feathers. The last known pair was killed by collectors in Iceland in 1844.

Crested Auklet
(Aethia cristatella)

The crested auklet lives and breeds on islands and beaches off the coast of Alaska. It winters in the open ocean. It is also found in Japan and Russia. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
Parakeet Auklet
(Aethia psittacula)

In the U.S., the parakeet auklet lives and breeds on islands and cliffs off the coast of Alaska. It winters in the waters off the coast of Alaska. It is also found in Canada, Japan and Russia. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
Least Auklet
(Aethia pusilla)

In the U.S., the least auklet breeds on islands off the coast of Alaska. It winters on the open water. It is also found in Japan and Russia. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
Whiskered Auklet
(Aethia pygmaea)

In the U.S., the whiskered auklet breeds throughout the Aleutian Islands in Alaska. It winters on the open water. It is also found in Japan and Russia. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
Razorbill
(Alca torda)

The razorbill breeds from the Arctic south to Maine. It winters in open water south to New Jersey. It is also found in Europe. In the winter, the razorbill can sometimes be found off the coast of New Hampshire. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
Dovekie
(Alle alle)

The dovekie is also known as the little auk. It breeds on islands in the Arctic. In the winter, it may make its way to open ocean waters as far south as New England. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
Long-billed Murrelet
(Brachyramphus perdix)

The long-billed murrelet breeds in Japan through the Sea of Okhotsk to the Kamchatka peninsula, Russia. IUCN Redlist Status: Near Threatened
Marbled Murrelet
(Brachyramphus marmoratus)

The marbled murrelet is found in the north Pacific Ocean. It breeds from Alaska south to central California. Unlike most alcids, it nests in trees in coastal forests. It is listed as a threatened species in the United States. It is listed as endangered in Oregon. IUCN Redlist Status: Endangered
Spectacled Guillemot
(Cepphus carbo)

The spectacled guillemot is found on coasts and islands of the north-west Pacific Ocean. It breeds from the Kamchatkan Peninsula, Russia and Sea of Okhotsk to North Korea. It winters in in open ocean waters near its breeding ground south to Japan. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
Pigeon Guillemot
(Cepphus columba)

The pigeon guillemot is found in the North Pacific. In North America, it breeds on rocky coasts from Alaska to southern California. It winters on open ocean waters. It is also found in Russia. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
Black Guillemot
(Cepphus grylle)

In North America, the black guillemot breeds on rocky shores, cliffs, and islands on the northern coasts of Alaska on the Pacific Coast, along the northern Arctic coast of Canada, and on the Atlantic coast as far south as Maine. The black guillemot usually winters in its breeding range. It is also found in Europe. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
Rhinoceros Auklet
(Cerorhinca monocerata)

The rhinoceros auklet is found in the North Pacific. It breeds from Alaska to Southern California. It also breeds off the coasts of China, Russia, Japan, and North Korea. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
Atlantic Puffin
(Fratercula arctica)

The Atlantic puffin breeds along the Atlantic Coast from the Canadian Maritimes south to Maine. It winters far offshore in deep ocean waters. The Atlantic puffin is also found in Northern Europe. IUCN Redlist Status: Vulnerable
Tufted Puffin
(Fratercula cirrhata)

The tufted puffin breeds along the Pacific Coast from Alaska to California. It is also found in Asia. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
Horned Puffin
(Fratercula corniculata)

The horned puffin breeds from northern Alaska to British Columbia in Canada. It winters in the ocean off the coast from Alaska to Washington. Occasionally, stragglers are found as far south as southern California. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
Cassin's Auklet
(Ptychoramphus aleuticus)

Cassin's Auklet is found from Alaska to Baja California, Mexico. IUCN Redlist Status: Near Threatened
Japanese Murrelet
(Synthliboramphus wumizusume)

The Japanese murrelet breeds on islands off the coast of central and southern Japan. IUCN Redlist Status: Vulnerable
Common Murre
(Uria aalge)

The common murre breeds along the Pacific Coast from Alaska south to California and on the Atlantic Coast from Labrador south to New Brunswick, Canada. It winters at sea from Newfoundland, Canada south to Massachusetts and from Alaska to southern California. It is also found in Greenland and northern Europe and Asia. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
Thick-billed Murre
(Uria lomvia)

The thick-billed murre is also known as Brünnich's Guillemot or the thick-billed guillemot. It breeds off the coasts of Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Scandinavia, and Russia. In North America, it winters in coastal areas south to southern Alaska and New Jersey. When it is not breeding, it lives on the open sea. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern