Aethia cristatella

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AVES	CHARADRIIFORMES	ALCIDAE

Scientific Name:

Aethia cristatella

Species Authority:

(Pallas, 1769)

Common Name/s:

English

–

Crested Auklet

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Published:

2012

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Butchart, S. & Symes, A.

Contributor/s:

Justification:
This species has a very large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). Despite the fact that the population trend appears to be decreasing, the decline is not believed to be sufficiently rapid to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size is extremely large, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

History:

2009	–	Least Concern
2008	–	Least Concern
2004	–	Least Concern

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	The Crested Auklet can be found in the north-west Pacific Ocean, specifically in the Bering Sea and Sea of Okhotsk (del Hoyo et al. 1996).
Countries:	Native: Japan; Russian Federation; United States Vagrant: Canada; Mexico
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	The global population is estimated to number > c.8,200,000 individuals (del Hoyo et al. 1996), while the population in Russia has been estimated at < c.10,000 breeding pairs (Brazil 2009).
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	This species can be found offshore and along sea coasts, breeding on remote islands and coasts utilizing scree slopes, boulder fields, lava flows and sea cliffs. It forages in deep water, usually far often shore, and concentrating on areas with dense aggregations of zooplankton (e.g. areas of converging currents or upwellings). It usually occurs in large flocks. Its diet comprises mainly of planktonic crustaceans and infrequently small fish and squid. Individuals arrive at colonies between March and May, with the peak laying time varying depending on locality. Individuals are monogamous with high mate and site fidelity, and both sexes prefer mates with larger crests. Nest density in its sometimes large colonies (over 100,000 pairs) is determined by the availability of suitable rock crevices and cavities for nesting. Outside the breeding season it remains in the north-west Pacific (del Hoyo et al. 1996).
Systems:	Terrestrial; Marine

Habitat and Ecology:

This species can be found offshore and along sea coasts, breeding on remote islands and coasts utilizing scree slopes, boulder fields, lava flows and sea cliffs. It forages in deep water, usually far often shore, and concentrating on areas with dense aggregations of zooplankton (e.g. areas of converging currents or upwellings). It usually occurs in large flocks. Its diet comprises mainly of planktonic crustaceans and infrequently small fish and squid. Individuals arrive at colonies between March and May, with the peak laying time varying depending on locality. Individuals are monogamous with high mate and site fidelity, and both sexes prefer mates with larger crests. Nest density in its sometimes large colonies (over 100,000 pairs) is determined by the availability of suitable rock crevices and cavities for nesting. Outside the breeding season it remains in the north-west Pacific (del Hoyo et al. 1996).

Systems:

Terrestrial; Marine

Citation:	BirdLife International 2012. Aethia cristatella. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 22 May 2013.
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