A small, stocky seabird of the North Pacific, and one of the most charming members of the auk family. Found along the coasts of Alaska, Siberia, and the Aleutian Islands, this bird is instantly recognizable by its unusual face. True to its name, it has a short, bright orange bill that is slightly upturned, giving it a parrot-like appearance. Its plumage is mostly black above and white below, with a neat white plume that curls back from just behind the eye, almost like an eyebrow accent.

While many seabirds specialize in fish, this auklet prefers plankton, krill, and small invertebrates. Using its odd-shaped bill, it can scoop and filter tiny prey while diving underwater. Agile swimmers, parakeet auklets use their wings like flippers to “fly” beneath the surface, chasing down swarms of plankton with surprising precision. They usually forage close to their colonies and often return to the same productive feeding areas year after year. Their ability to thrive on small prey gives them an advantage in harsh northern seas where food sources can change rapidly with the seasons.

Parakeet auklets nest in rocky cliffs and boulder fields, where they tuck their eggs deep into crevices and burrows to keep them safe from predators and the elements. Both parents share incubation duties and later take turns returning food to the chick. Their colonies can number in the thousands, filling the cliffs with their calls—a mix of squeaks and whistles that sound surprisingly parrot-like. Outside the breeding season, however, these auklets are far less social, spending their winters scattered across the open ocean.

Distribution

Country

Population est.

Status

Year

Comments

Canada

2020

Non-Breeding

Japan

2020

Non-Breeding

Mexico

2020

Non-Breeding

Russia

2020

Breeding: Eastern Asian Russia

United States

2020

Breeding