Little Auk | Oceana
Home / Little Auk
Marine Life Encyclopedia > Seabirds > Little Auk

Little Auk

Little auks are one of the smallest species of seabirds, measuring about 20 centimeters (7.8 inches) in length and have an average wingspan of about 40 centimeters (15.7 inches). Despite their small size, these birds go through big transformations: they change color seasonally! They are covered in black and white feathers in the winter, while their black feathers fade to a more mellow brown color during warmer seasons.  

 

These birds are migratory and only come to land to mate and build their nests, most commonly in small crevices on rocky shores, cliff faces or porous lava flows.  

When at sea, they can be found in the high Arctic, soaring over the Bering Sea and the coasts of Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, and Russia. In winter months, these northern birds migrate as far south as the United Kingdom and the north-east United States. 

Little auks are social birds, and travel in groups. They have been known to use a ‘trilling call’ to identify mates and for recognition during flights. They often forage for food together, diving below the surface of the ocean to catch their next snack. Their diets consist mostly of planktonic crustaceans and zooplankton, but they also eat annelids, mollusks, and small fish.  

 

 

Little auks are vulnerable to oil pollution and oil spills as they spend much of their lives at sea and below the surface. Off Newfoundland’s coast, where oil pollution is persistent, tens of thousands of Little auks perish each year. It is also suspected that climate change and summer sea surface temperatures may also have a negative effect on the wellbeing and population of the species.  

 

 

Although Little auks are not currently endangered, stopping the expansion of offshore drilling is essential to ensuring their populations continue to thrive. Learn more about how Oceana is working to prevent the expansion of offshore drilling here.  

 

 

 

GET INVOLVED

DONATE TODAY

SUPPORT OUR WORK TO PROTECT THE OCEANS BY GIVING TODAY

With the support of more than 1 million activists like you, we have already protected over 4 million square miles of ocean.

DONATE

TAKE ACTION NOW

SUPPORT POLICY CHANGE FOR THE OCEANS

Decision-makers need to hear from ocean lovers like you. Make your voice heard!

ACT NOW

VISIT OUR ADOPTION CENTER

SYMBOLICALLY ADOPT AN ANIMAL TODAY

Visit our online store to see all the ocean animals you can symbolically adopt, either for yourself or as a gift for someone else.

SHOP THE STORE

DOWNLOAD OCEAN ACTIVITIES

HELP KIDS DISCOVER OUR BLUE PLANET

Our free KELP (Kids Environmental Lesson Plans) empower children to learn about and protect our oceans!

LEARN MORE

FEATURED CAMPAIGN

Save the Oceans, Feed the World

We are restoring the world’s wild fish populations to serve as a sustainable source of protein for people.

Learn More

MORE CAMPAIGNS

Protect Habitat

Bycatch

Plastics

View All

CONTACT

Oceana International Headquarters
1025 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 200
Washington, DC 20036 USA

General Inquiries
+1(202)-833-3900
info@oceana.org

Donation Inquiries
+1(202)-569-4895
wavemaker@oceana.org

Press Inquiries
+1(202)-833-3900
press@oceana.org

OCEANA'S EFFICIENCY

BECOME A WAVEMAKER

Sign up today to get weekly updates and action alerts from Oceana.

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT WITH A DONATION

We have already protected over 4 million square miles of ocean and innumerable sea life - but there is still more to be done.

Donate Now

QUICK LINKS: