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Dovekie are robin-sized seabirds related to auks and puffins. Their compact, black-and-white bodies are perfect for life on the water. In winter, birders and boaters can sometimes spot flocks of Dovekie as far south as coastal New England. In summer, Dovekie high-tail it to the Arctic where they form massive breeding colonies on rocky islands and cliffsides. Dovekie are one of the most abundant birds in the North Atlantic, but their populations have declined drastically since the 1970s. Like many ocean species, Dovekie face lethal threats from oil spills and chemical pollution. By advocating for clean water and green energy, we can protect our global oceans for people and birds — like Dovekie.
This episode is brought to you in loving memory of John Hardner, a father and educator who loved nature and public radio.
BirdNote®
Dovekie At Sea
Written by Ariana Remmel
This is BirdNote.
[Dovekie]
And this… is a giant flock of tiny Dovekie. Dovekie are robin-sized seabirds related to auks and puffins. Their compact, black-and-white bodies are perfect for life on the water. You can find them whirring and diving across the Arctic and North Atlantic Oceans.
[Dovekie]
In winter, birders and boaters can sometimes spot flocks of Dovekie as far south as coastal New England. In summer, Dovekie high-tail it to the Arctic where they form massive breeding colonies on rocky islands and cliffsides. Both parents work together to rear a single chick. They may fly more than 60 miles to collect the perfect-sized fish for their nestling.
[Dovekie]
Dovekie are one of the most abundant birds in the North Atlantic, but their populations have declined drastically since the 1970s. Like many ocean species, Dovekie face lethal threats from oil spills and chemical pollution.
By advocating for clean water and green energy, we can protect our global oceans for people and birds — like Dovekie.
[Dovekie]
For BirdNote, I’m Ariana Remmel.
This episode is brought to you in loving memory of John Hardner, a father and educator who loved nature and public radio.
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Senior Producer: Mark Bramhill
Producer: Sam Johnson
Managing Producer: Jazzi Johnson
Managing Producer: Ariana Remmel
Content Director: Jonese Franklin
Bird sounds provided by The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Dovekie ML629733713 recorded by Krzysztof Ostrowski and ML137297 recorded by Nina Karnovsky.
BirdNote’s theme was composed and played by Nancy Rumbel and John Kessler.
© 2026 BirdNote March 2026
Narrator: Ariana Remmel
ID# DOVE-01-2025-03-23 DOVE-01
Reference:
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Dovekie/overview
https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/dovekie
https://abcbirds.org/bird/dovekie/
https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/doveki/cur/introduction
