auk

Oceanic bird belonging to the family Alcidae, order Charadriiformes, consisting of 22 species of marine diving birds including razorbills, puffins, murres, and guillemots. Confined to the northern hemisphere, their range extends from well inside the Arctic Circle to the lower temperate regions. They feed on fish, and use their wings to ‘fly’ underwater in pursuit.

Most auks are colonial, breeding on stack tops or cliff edges, although some nest in crevices or holes. With the exception of one species they all lay a single large, very pointed egg.

The largest was the flightless great auk Pinguinis impennis, 2.5 ft/75 cm and flightless, the last recorded individual being killed 1844. The smallest is the least auklet, Aethia pusilla, 6 in/15 cm long. It is found along Pacific coasts from Siberia to Alaska.