Also known as the Knob-billed Auklet, the least auklet (Aethia pusilla) is a seabird and the smallest species of auk. It is the most abundant seabird in North America, and one of the most abundant in the world, with a population of around nine million birds. They are able to locate their nest sites from the previous season, even when covered with snow. They sit where the nest is and take possession of it once the snow has melted.