Little Auk vs Ancient Murrelet

Alle alle compared with Synthliboramphus antiquus

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Little Auk Ancient Murrelet
Scientific Name Alle alle Synthliboramphus antiquus
Order Charadriiformes Charadriiformes
Family Alcidae Alcidae
Conservation Status Least Concern Least Concern
Length
Wingspan 23.2 cm (9.1 in) 27.1 cm (10.7 in)
Weight 170.0 g (6.00 oz) 208.16666666666666 g (7.34 oz)
Diet -- --
Clutch Size 1 2
Population Trend

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

Little Auk only

None

Ancient Murrelet only

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Little Auk

Least Concern

Ancient Murrelet

About These Birds

Little Auk

Little Auk (Dovekie), 17–19 cm, is abundant in the High Arctic, with hundreds of millions breeding in Greenland and Svalbard — one of the world's most numerous seabirds. Tiny, black and white, stubby-billed. Planktivore; dives for copepods. Winters at sea in the North Atlantic, often far offshore.

Ancient Murrelet

Ancient Murrelet, 24–27 cm, breeds in burrows on North Pacific islands from British Columbia to Japan. Black hood, grey back, white underparts with yellow bill. Nocturnal at colonies to avoid predators. Chicks lead-march to sea within days of hatching — abandoning the nest very early. Planktivore and piscivore.

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