Dovekie

Our Smallest Auk

Dovekie [Mark Morse Photo]

The Dovekie (Alle alle) is the world's smallest auk, family Alcidae.  They breed in summer in the high Arctic islands and winter along the Atlantic coast of Labrador, Newfoundland and down the eastern seaboard sometimes to New England.  The photo above shows the Dovekie in non-breeding plumage and was taken recently off Grand Manan. 

The Dovekie is very small, 21 cm (8.8 in) long, about Starling size.  On the vast ocean, that looks pretty small!  It has the clean black and white plumage of Alcids, black on the back and head and white below.  The breeding plumage shows a black hood covering the head, neck and throat.  In winter white appears on the throat and sides of neck, forming an incomplete neck band.  The bill is exceptionally short.  When it sits on the water it appears neckless as it pulls its head in close to its body.  In flight it is very football-shaped.  It often flies close to the water dodging the waves. 

Dovekies (known as Little Auks in Europe) are a holarctic species.  They inhabit the oceans of the north of the Earth.  Although they breed in northern Canada, the largest colonies are in Greenland, Spitsbergen (Norway) and a smaller colony in Iceland.  They come to land to breed in rocky crevices on scree slopes and mountains along the Arctic Ocean.  The rest of the year they spend at sea.  While in the breeding colony they are very vocal with a high-pitched chattering and screeching sound.  They feed on fish, molluscs, and plankton. which they catch underwater by using their wings and strong feet and legs.  They actually 'fly' under water.

Occasionally in heavy winter storms with strong easterly winds Alcids can be blown inland.  Because they are physically designed for life on the ocean they find it nearly impossible to walk on land.  Their feet are placed well back on their bodies making it difficult to balance in an upright position.  So, if they get blown inland they are stranded.  Without the aid of humans they would soon die or get killed by a predator.   The bird in the photo above was blown in during the storm of January 13 and 14.  It was returned quickly to the ocean where it swam away happily!