Photo: Art Sowls, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Parakeet Auklet
Aethia psittacula
Parakeet Auklet (Aethia psittacula) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 18 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Parakeet Auklet (Aethia psittacula) is a member of the Alcidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia and North America. Adults weigh 270 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Charadriiformes
- Family Alcidae Auks
- Genus Aethia
- Species psittacula
Where it lives
Northwest to northeastern North Pacific coasts: patchily from eastern Chukotka, northeastern Kamchatka, Sea of Okhotsk, Sakhalin, Kuril and Commander is. (eastern Russia); Bering Sea is., Aleutian Is., and Gulf of Alaska
Quick facts
- Weight
- 270 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Alcidae
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Near Threatened
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Parakeet Auklet hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of open sea and coastal waters, it swims and feeds in and around water.
Migration
The Parakeet Auklet is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Parakeet Auklet (Aethia psittacula) is a species of bird in the Alcidae family, part of the order Charadriiformes. Its range spans Europe & Northern Asia and North America. Its distribution covers PAL, NA nw to ne North Pacific coasts: patchily from e Chukotka, ne Kamchatka, Sea of Okhotsk, Sakhalin, Kuril and Commander is. (e Russia); Bering Sea is., Aleutian Is., and Gulf of Alaska.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 270 g, with a wing length of about 14.6 cm and a tail of around 3.9 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 401,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Parakeet Auklet?
The Parakeet Auklet is a large bird that weighs around 270 g.
Where does the Parakeet Auklet live?
The Parakeet Auklet is found across Europe & Northern Asia and North America with a range covering PAL, NA nw to ne North Pacific coasts: patchily from e Chukotka, ne Kamchatka, Sea of Okhotsk, Sakhalin, Kuril and Commander is. (e Russia); Bering Sea is., Aleutian Is., and Gulf of Alaska, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Parakeet Auklet belong to?
The Parakeet Auklet (Aethia psittacula) belongs to the Alcidae family, in the order Charadriiformes.
What does the Parakeet Auklet eat?
The Parakeet Auklet hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Parakeet Auklet migrate?
The Parakeet Auklet is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Parakeet Auklet endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Parakeet Auklet make?
1 real field recording of the Parakeet Auklet — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Parakeet Auklet's range?
The Parakeet Auklet has a mapped global range of about 401,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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