A rare sighting of a crested auklet, known for its distinctive appearance and unique social behaviors, was reported on the Farallon Islands near San Francisco in July. The bird, identified by its punk-like black plume, white eye feathers, and tangerine-colored bill, was spotted by Amanda Spears, a biologist with Point Blue Conservation Science. Spears described the bird as having a “grinned look like he’s up to something,” comparing it to a Pixar character.
Crested auklets are native to the Alaskan Islands and eastern Siberia, and they rarely stray from the northern Pacific Ocean. The last sighting in California was in 1995 off Bodega Head, and prior to that, one was seen in Marin County in 1979, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. This recent sighting marks the first-ever record of the species on the Farallon Islands.
Known for their social nature, crested auklets participate in what the Audubon Society describes as “rambunctious sex parties,” where groups gather to watch a pair mate. However, the auklet seen on the Farallons was alone, making it a vagrant, or a bird that has drifted away from its usual migration routes.
The Farallon Islands, located 30 miles west of the Golden Gate Bridge, are home to the largest seabird nesting colony south of Alaska. Managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and monitored by Point Blue Conservation Science, the islands are a critical habitat for various wildlife species. This year, the islands have seen an abundance of seabirds, attributed to high levels of krill and small fish due to ocean upwelling, as reported by The Sacramento Bee.
The Farallon Islands are a protected wildlife refuge, and efforts to preserve their unique ecosystem continue. Point Blue Conservation Science has been involved in research and conservation on the islands since 1968, working to protect the diverse species that call the Farallons home, according to Bird Collective.
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