Least Auklet vs Wedge-rumped Storm-Petrel
Aethia pusilla versus Hydrobates tethys
Play a quiz with Least Auklet and Wedge-rumped Storm-Petrel
Least Auklet
Wedge-rumped Storm-Petrel
In short
The Least Auklet and Wedge-rumped Storm-Petrel are both small seabirds, but they differ significantly in appearance and behavior. The Least Auklet is a small, chunky alcid with variable plumage and a distinctive bill, while the Wedge-rumped Storm-Petrel is a slender, dark storm-petrel with a unique wedge-shaped white rump patch.
Identification tips
Look for the wedge-shaped white rump patch on the Wedge-rumped Storm-Petrel, which is absent in the Least Auklet. Note the chunky body and colorful bill of the Least Auklet. Observe behavior: diving indicates Least Auklet, while skimming over water suggests Wedge-rumped Storm-Petrel.
Size
Least Auklet is small and chunky; Wedge-rumped Storm-Petrel is small but more slender.
Plumage
Least Auklet has variable plumage from white to nearly black with a colorful bill and white facial plumes. Wedge-rumped Storm-Petrel is mostly dark with a distinctive white wedge-shaped rump patch.
Behaviour
Least Auklet dives for zooplankton and is often seen in dense breeding colonies. Wedge-rumped Storm-Petrel is a surface feeder, often seen skimming over water.
Habitat
Least Auklet breeds on remote islands in the Bering Sea and winters in the North Pacific. Wedge-rumped Storm-Petrel is pelagic, found over open ocean, often far from land.