Marbled Murrelet Species Profile

T he marbled murrelet is a small pacific seabird belonging to the family alcidae.

Marbled murrelet species profile.

All members of the alcid family swim under water propelling themselves with their wings much like their penguin counterparts in the southern hemisphere. Marbled murrelets are in the same family as auklets puffins and murres. It spends the majority of its time on the ocean restingoosting and feeding but comes inland up to 80 kilometers 50 miles to nest in forest stands with old growth forest characteristics. This lays out the general strategy for population stability population reduction between 2002 and 2032 not to exceed 30 of the 2002 population and this decline is linked to similar limited decline in available suitable nesting habitat.

The marbled murrelet a small seabird that nests in large conifer trees is a federally threatened species covered by the washington state department of natural resources dnr s trust lands habitat conservation plan hcp. During the breeding season they have mottled brown plumage. The marbled murrelet is marvelously adapted to life amidst the emerald green islands and cold marine waters along the northwest coast of north america. The marbled murrelet nests on the mainland in almost total obscurity although people who fish and boat along the british columbia coast during spring and summer when the birds are nesting often see marbled murrelets out on the water.

This came on the heels of more than a century of searching by early ornithologists for the elusive murrelet nest. The marbled murrelet is a small robin sized diving seabird that feeds primarily on fish and invertebrates in near shore marine waters. Underparts are light mottled brown. Murrelets are general found in near shore waters within 3 miles from the coast with nesting areas nearby.

They are fast fliers with rapid wingbeats and short wings. In winter they have black and white plumage and conspicuous white wing patches. Fws s threatened endangered species system track information about listed species in the united states. Marbled murrelets are small seabirds.

The canadian marbled murrelet recovery team developed a recovery strategy to be compliant with the canadian species at risk act environment canada 2014. U s fws species profile about species listing status federal register publications recovery critical habitat conservation planning petitions and life history. In 1974 at california s big basin redwood state park the marbled murrelet the enigma of the pacific won the distinction of being the last bird species in the united states to have its nesting site discovered. Males and females have sooty brown upperparts with dark bars.

Marbled murrelets depend on both marine and forest habitat.