The dovekie, also known as the little auk, is a small seabird in the alcid family. It breeds in the Arctic and subarctic regions and spends the rest of the year offshore in cooler northern waters. Here is a quick overview of the dovekie:
Quick Facts
- Scientific Name: Alle alle
- Length: 16–18 cm
- Wingspan: 33–40 cm
- Weight: 165–195 g
- Lifespan: Up to 15 years
- Conservation Status: Least Concern
Identification
The dovekie is the smallest member of the auk family. It has a short, rounded body with a very short tail and small wings. Its legs are set far back on its body, making it awkward on land but a powerful swimmer and flyer. In breeding plumage, its head and back are black, its underparts white, and it has a small black bill. In winter, its face and throat become white. Juveniles are grey above and white below.
Distribution and Habitat
Dovekies breed in large colonies in the high Arctic regions of Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Svalbard, and Russia. After breeding they migrate south into cooler waters across the North Atlantic and North Pacific Oceans. Their wintering areas can extend as far south as Maine and the Pacific Northwest in some years. At sea dovekies stay near or over continental shelves, seldom venturing over deep ocean waters.
Behavior
On land dovekies are clumsy and awkward due to the placement of their feet so far back on their bodies. But they are fast and agile fliers and excellent swimmers and divers. They flap their wings very quickly in flight and can dive to depths over 50 m to catch small fish, crustaceans and other food. They often swim and feed cooperatively in large flocks. Dovekies are highly colonial, nesting in extremely dense groups of up to 1 million pairs. Their colonies are very noisy and active.
Breeding
Dovekies return to the same nesting colonies each spring after migrating north from their wintering areas. Nesting takes place from late May to August depending on the region. The nests are simple scrapes or crevices lined with grass, moss or feathers. A single egg is laid which is incubated by both parents for around 4 weeks. The chicks hatch with grey down and fledge after about 3 weeks, when they leave the colony to head out to sea.
Diet
Dovekies feed out at sea, diving underwater to catch small fish, crustaceans, mollusks and plankton. Some of their common prey includes capelin, Arctic cod, shrimp, amphipods and krill. During the breeding season parents make repeated trips between the nesting colonies and feeding areas up to 100 km away to bring back food for their chicks.
Population and Conservation
The global dovekie population is estimated at around 20-30 million individuals. Their numbers seem to fluctuate considerably between breeding seasons in correlation with food availability. However, their overall population remains very large and widespread, leading the IUCN to list them as a species of Least Concern.
Major threats to dovekies include oil spills, extreme weather, pollution, overfishing of prey species and climate change effects on Arctic ecosystems. But so far their populations remain stable. Various conservation efforts aim to protect breeding colonies and limit threats at sea.
Relationship to Humans
Dovekies have long been hunted by indigenous Arctic peoples for their meat, eggs, and down feathers. This continues today but is controlled and regulated in most regions. Dovekies also face threats from Arctic development, oil drilling and shipping traffic which can impact breeding colonies. But overall the dovekie remains a numerous and widespread species that people rarely encounter except in far northern waters.
Fun Facts
- Dovekie nesting colonies are among the noisiest and densest bird assemblages in the world. Their cacophony of grunts, cackles and chatter can be heard from a mile away.
- The dovekie name comes from their appearance on land, waddling and bobbing like doves.
- Dovekies have shorter wings relative to their body size than any other bird in the alcid family.
- The large colonies follow daily rhythms, with periods of feeding followed by long hours spent sitting on rocks vocalizing.
- Dovekie pairs are monogamous and usually mate for life, returning to the same nesting site and partner every year.
Conclusion
In summary, the dovekie is a small seabird that breeds in enormous colonies in the high Arctic then migrates south to spend the rest of the year on northern oceans. Its short wings, powerful legs and ability to dive make it well adapted to pursue fish and crustaceans underwater. While dovekie numbers fluctuate, they remain very abundant across their range and face no major conservation threats at this time.
Scientific Name | Alle alle |
---|---|
Length | 16–18 cm |
Wingspan | 33–40 cm |
Weight | 165–195 g |
Lifespan | Up to 15 years |
Conservation Status | Least Concern |
Taxonomy
The dovekie belongs to the family Alcidae in the order Charadriiformes. This family, commonly known as the auks, are all aquatic, fish-eating seabirds that breed in northern colonies. The dovekie’s scientific name is Alle alle. It is the only living member of the genus Alle.
There are four recognized subspecies of dovekie:
- A. a. alle – nominate, found in high Arctic regions
- A. a. polaris – found in Greenland
- A. a. alleni – found in Alaska and eastern Siberia
- A. a. microtheres – found in western Alaska
These subspecies differ slightly in size and plumage coloration. Genetic evidence also suggests the Siberian populations may eventually be recognized as a distinct species.
Physical Description
The dovekie is a very compact, short-tailed seabird growing to 16-18 cm in length with a 33-40 cm wingspan. Weight ranges from 165-195 g. It has a rounded body and large head with a very short neck. The legs are set far back on the body to provide powerful propulsion for swimming. The wings are very short and narrow with stiff feathering specialized for flapping flight.
Its plumage is black on the head, neck and back with white underparts. The bill is short and pointed. In winter, white extends up the face and neck almost to the eye. Juveniles are dusky grey above and white below. The dovekie walks upright on land with a rolling gait but is awkward taking off.
Distribution and Habitat
Dovekies have a circumpolar distribution breeding in the high Arctic islands and coastlines of Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Svalbard, Russia, Norway and Scotland. After breeding, they migrate offshore and southwards following cold water currents. In North America dovekies winter along the Atlantic coast from Newfoundland to the mid-Atlantic states. In the Pacific they winter south to the Pacific Northwest and northern Japan.
During the breeding season, dovekies nest in huge colonies on remote Arctic cliffs and islands with good access to the sea. The rest of the year is spent entirely offshore within cooler northern waters over continental shelves or near ice edges. Rarely do they venture over deep ocean basins.
Behavior
Dovekies are colonial nesters, gathering in massive breeding colonies of over 1 million pairs. Colonies are very dense and noisy with constant dovekie chatter. They exhibit synchronous behavior with the entire colony alternating between feeding on the water and returning to breed on land. At sea dovekies form large flocks numbering in the tens or hundreds of thousands of birds. Flocks swim and dive together to pursue fish schools.
Dovekies are awkward on land with their feet so far back on their bodies. But they are fast and highly agile in flight. Dovekies flap their short wings very rapidly up to several hundred beats per minute. This allows them to fly fast over long distances between nesting and feeding areas. They also dive underwater from flight to pursue prey down to depths over 50 m.
Breeding and Life Cycle
Dovekies return to the same nesting colonies each spring, with peak egg laying in June. The nests are simple scrapes or crevices in scree or boulders lined with moss, grass or feathers. A single egg is laid which is incubated by both parents for around 24 days. The eggs are pear shaped to prevent rolling off the rocky ledges.
The young chick hatches with grey down and is brooded by both parents for 2-3 weeks. The parents make frequent feeding trips, regurgitating fish and plankton to feed the chick. After fledging the juveniles migrate south on their own to spend several years at sea before returning to the colonies as mature adults. Average lifespan is around 15 years.
Diet and Feeding
Dovekies feed by diving from the surface to pursue small fish, crustaceans and other marine invertebrates. They feed mainly on juvenile polar cod, capelin, sand lance, herring and shrimp. The diet consists mostly of fish ranging from 2-15 cm in length along with amphipods, krill and other plankton.
Their short wings allow dovekies to dive to depths over 50m below the surface, farther than many auk species. Their legs provide strong propulsion underwater while the wings are used for maneuvering. Prey is typically swallowed whole at the surface.
During breeding, parents make feeding flights up to 48 times a day, travelling up to 100 km between the colonies and offshore waters. The chick’s diet is mostly made up of capelin, sand lance and crustaceans like amphipods brought back by the parents.
Vocalizations
Dovekie colonies are extremely noisy with constant chatter and calls. The birds make grunting, low croaking and laughing vocalizations. Calls are used for communicating between paired mates, parent to chick and during communal roosting. Distinct vocalizations may also communicate information to colony mates about food sources.
Migration
Dovekies undergo seasonal migrations between their Arctic breeding colonies and wintering areas in subarctic oceans. In late summer after breeding the birds migrate south into offshore northern waters. Some travel east or west from their colony before heading south. Most dovekies do not come to land at all during the nonbreeding period.
Spring migration back to the colonies occurs from April to May. Dovekies can cover over 1,000 km in 3-4 days during rapid sustained flight. Adults tend to migrate before juveniles and start arriving back on the breeding grounds as early as late March.
Status and Conservation
Dovekie populations are estimated at around 20-30 million individuals globally. Trend data is limited but populations appear to fluctuate between 8-24 million breeding pairs each year in correlation with food supplies. Despite population variability they remain numerous and widespread and are evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Threats include oil spills, drowning in fishing nets, human disturbance, pollution, climate change effects on the Arctic and overfishing of prey stocks. Most colonies are remote which provides some protection. Conservation efforts focus on protecting breeding colonies from development and managing marine protected areas.
Population | Trend | Threats | Conservation Status |
---|---|---|---|
20-30 million | Variable but stable overall | Oil spills, drowning in nets, human disturbance, climate change | Least Concern |
Relationship to Humans
Dovekies have long been hunted by Arctic indigenous peoples, who use their meat, eggs, feathers and skins. They are still hunted today but usually in a regulated and sustainable way. Their fat and eggs are rich sources of nutrients. Historically their down feathers were used for pillows.
Today most hunting is done for subsistence rather than commercial purposes. Other threats from humans include disturbance of breeding colonies from development or tourism, oil spills from offshore drilling, and competition with commercial fisheries for prey species. But overall dovekies remain widespread and abundant across their range.
Cultural Depictions
Dovekies are common subjects in the folklore and art of many Arctic indigenous peoples. They appear in Inuit sculpture, masks, paintings and embroidery. The dovekie spirit Kutkh was an important figure in the religious beliefs of the Inuit, helping to communicate between humans and nature spirits.
Across the Arctic the dovekie is seen as a hearty survivor of the harsh northern oceans and a symbol of perseverance. Their return each spring was welcomed as a sign of renewed life and abundance.
Conclusion
In summary, the dovekie is a small auk species well adapted to the challenging environment of the far north. It breeds in huge colonies on remote Arctic clifftops before migrating south to spend the winter on northern oceans and returning each spring. Dovekies form close social bonds and work together cooperatively to feed and avoid predators.
While dovekie numbers fluctuate, they remain abundant across their range from Alaska to Siberia to Greenland. Their unique adaptations allow them to thrive in the planet’s harshest marine ecosystem. For Arctic peoples, the dovekie has long provided sustenance and symbolized the resilience of life in the far north.