Little auk

The little auk, also known as the dovekie, is an endearing seabird and the sole member of its genus, Alle. The name "Alle" is derived from the Sami word for the long-tailed duck. These small birds inhabit the high Arctic and breed on islands in regions such as Greenland, Novaya Zemlya, Svalbard, and Franz Josef Land. They are approximately half the size of an Atlantic puffin and feature striking black and white plumage along with a short, stubby bill.

Little auks primarily feed on crustaceans and fish, employing a unique technique known as visually guided suction-feeding to capture their prey. They are sociable birds, forming large colonies on marine cliffs where they nest in crevices or under rocks. During the winter months, they migrate south, although this journey is fraught with danger from predators such as glaucous gulls, Arctic foxes, and even polar bears.

Although their population has been declining, little auks are notably adaptable. They can modify their foraging behaviors to cope with changes in prey availability caused by climate change, alleviating immediate concerns for their conservation status.

In Greenland, little auks hold significant cultural importance among the Inuit. They are used to prepare a traditional dish called kiviaq, in which hundreds of these birds are fermented inside a seal skin for several months. However, this dish does come with risks, having been linked to food poisoning incidents, including the tragic demise of explorer Knud Rasmussen.