One of the highlights of the Scottish summer is undoubtedly our spectacular seabird cities. For a few months every year, our towering sea cliffs are home to thousands of razorbills, kittiwakes and many more species.
However there is one seabird that does things a little differently. Rather than being a summer visitor, the little auk only shows up here over the colder months – and even then can be difficult to spot. Read on for five facts about these elusive seabirds that (whisper it) might even be cuter than puffins.
The main reason we see little auks so rarely is that they spend the breeding season in the arctic, before heading out to the North Atlantic in winter. It’s these wintering birds that occasionally turn up in our seas, especially if heavy storms blow them our way.
Have you ever seen a puffin in real life? Many people comment that they’re much smaller than they expected, however little auks are even tinier (perhaps not surprising given the name). Little auks only reach about 19cm in length, about half that of puffins and similar to the size of a sparrow.
Despite their size, little auks have powerful engines. They tend to fly in straight lines close to the water’s surface and can reach speeds up to 70km/h! That’s a lot of work for those tiny wings.
Climate change is a huge issue and is causing problems for many species all over the world. Little auks, however, seem to be more adaptable than most in that regard. Studies have shown that their behaviour doesn’t change, regardless of whether or not sea ice is present at their feeding grounds. If one type of prey isn’t available, they will happily switch to another.
Little auks’ scientific name is Alle alle. Curiously, ‘alle’ is also the Sami name for long-tailed ducks. One theory for this overlap is that Carl Linnaeus, the Swedish zoologist who gave little auks their scientific name, got the two species mixed up as he wasn't familiar with their winter plumage.
A little auk in winter plumage (above) and a female long-tailed duck (below). Perhaps Linnaeus didn't get a very good look at them.
Visit our website for more details on little auks.
Image credits
Header - Andreas Weith, original version available here
Individual - Sir Iain, original version available here
Group on water - Richard Crossley, original version available here
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