LC
Crested Auklet Aethia cristatella



Taxonomy

Taxonomic source(s)
AERC TAC. 2003. AERC TAC Checklist of bird taxa occurring in Western Palearctic region, 15th Draft. Available at: #http://www.aerc.eu/DOCS/Bird_taxa_of _the_WP15.xls#.
Cramp, S. and Simmons, K.E.L. (eds). 1977-1994. Handbook of the birds of Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The birds of the western Palearctic. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A. and Fishpool, L.D.C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.

IUCN Red list criteria met and history
Red List criteria met
Critically Endangered Endangered Vulnerable
- - -

Red List history
Year Category Criteria
2020 Least Concern
2016 Least Concern
2012 Least Concern
2009 Least Concern
2008 Least Concern
2004 Least Concern
2000 Lower Risk/Least Concern
1994 Lower Risk/Least Concern
1988 Lower Risk/Least Concern
Species attributes

Migratory status not a migrant Forest dependency Does not normally occur in forest
Land mass type Average mass -
Distribution

Estimate Data quality
Extent of Occurrence breeding/resident (km2) 6,000,000 medium
Extent of Occurrence non-breeding (km2) 8,470,000 medium
Number of locations -
Severely Fragmented -
Population and trend
Value Data quality Derivation Year of estimate
No. of mature individuals 5500000 poor estimated 2009
Population trend Decreasing suspected -
Decline (3 years/1 generation past) - - -
Decline (5 years/1 generation past) - - -
Decline (10 years/1 generation past) - - -
Decline (10 years/3 generation future) - - -
Decline (10 years/3 generation past and future) - - -
Number of subpopulations - - -
Percentage in largest subpopulation - - -
Generation length (yrs) 8.4 - - -

Population justification: The global population is estimated to number more than 8.2 million individuals, which equates to more than 5.5 million mature individuals (del Hoyo et al. 1996).

Trend justification: The population is suspected to be in decline owing to predation by invasive species, disturbance and pollution (del Hoyo et al. 1996).


Country/territory distribution
Country/Territory Occurrence status Presence Resident Breeding Non-breeding Passage
Canada V Extant Yes
Japan N Extant Yes
Mexico V Extant Yes
Russia N Extant Yes Yes Yes
Russia (Asian) N Extant Yes Yes Yes
USA N Extant Yes Yes Yes

Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA)
Country/Territory IBA Name
Russia (Asian) Yamskiye Islands
Russia (Asian) Tyuleniy Island
Russia (Asian) Iony Island
Russia (Asian) Ratmanova Island
Russia (Asian) Sireniki shore of Chukotka
Russia (Asian) Verkhoturova Island
Russia (Asian) Talan Island
USA Segula-Davidof Islands
USA Kiska Island
USA St Lawrence Island
USA Little Diomede Island and Fairway Rock
Russia (Asian) Karaginskiy Bay - marine
Russia (Asian) Talan island - Marine
Russia (Asian) Yamsk archipelago - Marine
Russia (Asian) Iony island - Marine
Russia (Asian) Ratmanova island - Marine
Russia (Asian) Sireniki coast and polynya - marine
USA Semisopochnoi Island Colonies
USA St Matthew and Hall Islands
USA Buldir Island
USA Gareloi Island
USA St George Island
USA Bering Sea Shelf Edge 178W61N
USA Buldir & Near Islands Marine
USA Fenimore Pass & Atka Island Marine
USA Gareloi Island Marine
USA Kiska Island Marine
USA Unimak & Akutan Passes
USA Western St Lawrence Island Marine
USA Buldir Island Colony
USA Diomede Islands Colonies
USA Gareloi Island Colony
USA Kiska Island Colonies
USA Northwest Cape Colony
USA Savoonga Colonies
USA Southwest Cape Colonies
USA St Matthew & Hall Islands Colonies
Russia (Asian) Kuril islands (between Urup and Paramushir)
Russia (Asian) Getlyangen lagoon and Khalyustkin cape

Habitats & altitude
Habitat (level 1) Habitat (level 2) Importance Occurrence
Marine Coastal/Supratidal Sea Cliffs and Rocky Offshore Islands major breeding
Marine Intertidal Rocky Shoreline major breeding
Marine Intertidal Tidepools major breeding
Marine Neritic Macroalgal/Kelp major resident
Marine Neritic Pelagic major resident
Marine Neritic Seagrass (Submerged) major resident
Marine Neritic Subtidal Loose Rock/pebble/gravel major resident
Marine Neritic Subtidal Rock and Rocky Reefs major resident
Marine Neritic Subtidal Sandy major resident
Marine Neritic Subtidal Sandy-Mud major resident
Marine Oceanic Epipelagic (0-200m) suitable resident
Marine Oceanic Mesopelagic (200-1000m) suitable resident
Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks) major breeding
Altitude 0 - 500 m Occasional altitudinal limits  

Threats & impact
Threat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and Stresses
Biological resource use Hunting & trapping terrestrial animals - Intentional use (species is the target) Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Negligible declines Low Impact: 4
Stresses
Species mortality
Climate change & severe weather Habitat shifting & alteration Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Whole (>90%) Unknown Unknown
Stresses
Indirect ecosystem effects, Ecosystem degradation, Reduced reproductive success
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Vulpes lagopus Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant Declines Low Impact: 5
Stresses
Reduced reproductive success, Species mortality
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Vulpes vulpes Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant Declines Low Impact: 5
Stresses
Reduced reproductive success, Species mortality
Pollution Industrial & military effluents - Oil spills Timing Scope Severity Impact
Future Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant Declines Low Impact: 3
Stresses
Species mortality

Utilisation
Purpose Primary form used Life stage used Source Scale Level Timing
Food - human - - Non-trivial Recent
Pets/display animals, horticulture - - International Non-trivial Recent

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Species factsheet: Aethia cristatella. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 26/03/2023. Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2023) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 26/03/2023.