. The Eastern Bering Sea Shelf : oceanography and resources / edited by Donald W. Hood and John A. Calder. Oceanography Bering Breeding dL'itribution and reproductive biology 671 species: Least Auklets arc able to use cracks and crevices which are too small for the Crested Auklets (Bedard 1969b). Colonies Except for those of the Thick-billed Murre (Fig. 39-14), Least Auklet colonies are among the largest in the Bering Sea (Fig. 39-18); the colonies on Little Diomede Island, censused in 1977, contained 600,000 Least Auklets. St. George and St. Lawrence islands also support large numbers.
. The Eastern Bering Sea Shelf : oceanography and resources / edited by Donald W. Hood and John A. Calder. Oceanography Bering Breeding dL'itribution and reproductive biology 671 species: Least Auklets arc able to use cracks and crevices which are too small for the Crested Auklets (Bedard 1969b). Colonies Except for those of the Thick-billed Murre (Fig. 39-14), Least Auklet colonies are among the largest in the Bering Sea (Fig. 39-18); the colonies on Little Diomede Island, censused in 1977, contained 600,000 Least Auklets. St. George and St. Lawrence islands also support large numbers. Because of the difficulties of counting crevice-nesting populations, the counts of this species represent minimal estimates and actual numbers may be much higher. Status of the Bering Sea population The eastern Bering Sea population of Least Auklets is estimated to be near million (Sowls et al. 1978). The status of this population has yet to be determined. Reproductive biology Least Auklets have been studied on St. Lawrence Island (Bedard 1967, 1969b, 1969c; Sealy 1968, 1975; Sealy and BMard 1973; Searing 1977). Phenology Least Auklets arrive at St. Lawrence Island in mid- May and occupy nesting areas within a few days. Laying begins in mid- to late June, depending on snow conditions, and continues for about three weeks (Sealy 1968). Eggs are incubated for an average of 31 t LEAST AUKLET Colony Si e 1-100 birds • 101-1 000 birds • 1001- birds • 10,00 - 100,000 bird • 100,00 ,000 b. Figure 39-18. Least Auklet colonies in the Bering Sea. days and begin to hatch in mid-July. Chicks remain in the nest for about 29 days before fledging. In 1966 and 1967, fledging occurred between 15 Au- gust and 7 September; mean fledging dates were 1 September in 1966 and 20 August in 1967 (Sealy 1968). Productivity On St. Lawrence Island in 1976, reproductive suc- cess was estimated at chicks fledged per nest- with-eggs (Searing 1977). During 1976 the average rate of
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