Alle+alle

(Little Auk) Aves Charadriiformers Alcidae
 * __Alle alle__**
 * Class: Order: Family:**

One of the smallest seabird species 19 to 23 cm long 40 m wing span 140 to 152 grams Short round body with small, sparrow like bill Color varies from black to light gray
 * Physical Description:**


 * Anatomy**: They have thick, large plumage which as they mature, gets glossier. The plumage and thick bones help them resist water pressure. They also have small wings which thelps them adapt to water.

2004- Least Concern (BirdLife International 2004) 2000- Lower Risk/Least Concern (BirdLift International 2000) 1994- Lower Risk/Least Concern (Collar //et al// 1994) 1988- Lower Risk/Least Concern (Collar and Andrew 1988) Global population has not been alot but they appear to be stable so they are not believed to become extict soon which is why they are on the Least Concern List. This species has a large range, with an estimated global Extent of Occurrence of 100,000-1,000,000 km². It has a large global population estimated to be 16,000,000-36,000,000 individuals**.**

Little Auks have been killed from oil spills but the main reason for the decreasing population is climate changes due to global warming.

Pressure: 4 atm Temp: 5-10 degrees C Salinitly: 33-34 ppt


 * Location**: Bahamas; Belgium; Bermuda; Canada; Cuba; Denmark; Faroe Islands; France; Germany; Greenland; Iceland; Ireland; Netherlands; Norway; Portugal; Russian Federation; Saint Pierre and Miquelon; Spain; Svalbard and Jan Mayen; Sweden; Turks and Caicos Islands; United Kingdom; United States

Come ashore to breed Spend winter in the northwest Atlantic where plankton are abundant Elevation- 400 m Depth- 40 m Longitude and Latitude- 0 00 N, 25 00 W
 * Habitat**: Off shore near up-wellings and oceanic fronts


 * Reproduction**: Egg laying peaks late June. Both sexes, in turn, incubate 1 egg for 28-31 days. Both adults tend to thier young who are independent at average age of 27-28 days.


 * Economic Importance**: They have nutritious eggs and their skins, bones, and beaks have been used for making garments and ornaments. Also, their large populatiuons help the foxes thrive on them which helps the people who hunt fox fur.

Predators: Humans, Wild Cats, Artic Foxes, Racoons, Mink, Glaucous gulls, Rats, and presumably other rodents are predators of dovekies when they are nesting on land.
 * Food**: Carnivorous- crustaceans, annelids, mollusks, and small fish, but mainly planktonic crustaceans


 * Conservation Efforts**: There isn't much being done to help these birds because they believe it is mostly global warming that is affecting their population decrease.


 * Solution**: I think that there should be a stricter watch for oil spills and serious consequenses. They also should try to keep less industrial ships around their habitat to avoid any chance of oil spills. It would help the Alle alle if they didn't pollute the water with anything that would be harmful to them.

Scavenger Hunt Questions: What part of the ocean are the Alle alle found? What kind of eaters are they? What list are they on the red list?

Warner, J. and A. Fraser. 2007. "Alle alle" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed June 09, 2009 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Alle_alle.html.

BirdLife International 2008. //Alle alle//. In: IUCN 2009. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.1. <[|www.iucnredlist.org]>. Downloaded on **09 June 2009**.