auklet, any of six species of small seabirds of the family Alcidae (order Charadriiformes). They breed primarily in the Bering Sea and the North Pacific; some winter as far south as Japan and Mexico. Auklets in breeding plumage differ from the related murrelets in having plumes and other head ornaments, including brightly coloured bill plates like those of their relatives the puffins. They nest in crevices near the sea, laying a single egg. The young remain in the nest until fully fledged.
The smallest member of the family is the least auklet (Aethia pusilla), about 15 cm (6 inches) long. It winters far north in rough waters. The plainest and grayest species is Cassin’s auklet (Ptychoramphus aleuticus), a common resident from the Aleutians to Baja California.