auksille

Auksille, also known as auks, are a family of seabirds belonging to the order Charadriiformes. This family, Alcidae, encompasses a diverse group of birds that are adapted for a marine lifestyle. They are found in the cold waters of the Northern Hemisphere, with species distributed across the North Atlantic, North Pacific, and Arctic Oceans. Auks are characterized by their stout bodies, short wings, and webbed feet, all of which are adaptations for efficient swimming and diving. Their plumage is typically black and white, providing camouflage against the dark ocean depths when viewed from below and the bright sky when viewed from above.

These birds are primarily piscivorous, meaning they feed on fish, but they also consume crustaceans and other small marine invertebrates. They hunt by diving from the surface and propelling themselves underwater using their wings, much like penguins, though they are not closely related. Their wings, though relatively short for their body size, are stiff and powerful, allowing for rapid and agile underwater movement. On land, auks are more clumsy, often walking with an upright posture. They are colonial nesters, congregating in large numbers on cliffs, islands, and rocky shores to breed. Many species lay a single egg, and both parents share incubation and chick-rearing duties. The young are precocial, meaning they are relatively well-developed at hatching and are able to leave the nest shortly after. Prominent examples of auks include puffins, murres, and razorbills.