Photo: Sabine's Sunbird / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Near Threatened

Shorebirds

Cassin’s Auklet

Ptychoramphus aleuticus

Cassin's Auklet (Ptychoramphus aleuticus) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of North America.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 16 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Canada Birds of Mexico Birds of the United States Birds of British Columbia Birds of Alaska Birds of California Birds of Oregon Birds of Washington

By family

Auks, Murres & Puffins of Canada Auks, Murres & Puffins of Mexico Auks, Murres & Puffins of the United States Auks, Murres & Puffins of British Columbia Auks, Murres & Puffins of Alaska Auks, Murres & Puffins of California Auks, Murres & Puffins of Oregon Auks, Murres & Puffins of Washington

See what's near you right now

The Cassin’s Auklet (Ptychoramphus aleuticus) is a member of the Alcidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and North America. Adults weigh 184 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

NT Near Threatened

Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Charadriiformes
Family Alcidae Auks
Genus Ptychoramphus
Species aleuticus

Where it lives

Eastern North Pacific coastal is.

Quick facts

Weight: 184 g
Diet: Aquatic hunters
Family: Alcidae
Order: Charadriiformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Vulnerable

Craveri’s Murrelet

Synthliboramphus craveri

Least Concern

Ancient Murrelet

Synthliboramphus antiquus

Vulnerable

Scripps’s Murrelet

Synthliboramphus scrippsi

Endangered

Guadalupe Murrelet

Synthliboramphus hypoleucus

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Cassin’s 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 Cassin’s Auklet is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

The Cassin’s Auklet (Ptychoramphus aleuticus) is a species of bird in the Alcidae family, part of the order Charadriiformes. Its range spans Central America & Caribbean and North America. Its distribution covers NA, MA e North Pacific coastal is.

It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 184 g, with a wing length of about 12.1 cm and a tail of around 3.2 cm.

The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.

The species has a mapped global range of roughly 123,000 km².

Songs & calls

Cassin’s Auklet — Song

Recorded by Matthew L. Brady Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Cassin’s Auklet?

The Cassin’s Auklet is a large bird that weighs around 184 g.

Where does the Cassin’s Auklet live?

The Cassin’s Auklet is found across Central America & Caribbean and North America with a range covering NA, MA e North Pacific coastal is, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Cassin’s Auklet belong to?

The Cassin’s Auklet (Ptychoramphus aleuticus) belongs to the Alcidae family, in the order Charadriiformes.

What does the Cassin’s Auklet eat?

The Cassin’s Auklet hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Does the Cassin’s Auklet migrate?

The Cassin’s Auklet is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

Is the Cassin’s Auklet endangered?

The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.

What sound does the Cassin’s Auklet make?

1 real field recording of the Cassin’s Auklet — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Cassin’s Auklet's range?

The Cassin’s Auklet has a mapped global range of about 123,000 km².