Marbled Murrelet Species Profile

This came on the heels of more than a century of searching by early ornithologists for the elusive murrelet nest.

Marbled murrelet species profile.

T he marbled murrelet is a small pacific seabird belonging to the family alcidae. The marbled murrelet is a small robin sized diving seabird that feeds primarily on fish and invertebrates in near shore marine waters. 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 canadian marbled murrelet recovery team developed a recovery strategy to be compliant with the canadian species at risk act environment canada 2014.

During the breeding season they have mottled brown plumage. 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. They are fast fliers with rapid wingbeats and short wings. These birds have slender black bills long narrow wings and short tails.

Marbled murrelets are in the same family as auklets puffins and murres. In winter they have black and white plumage and conspicuous white wing patches. U s fws species profile about species listing status federal register publications recovery critical habitat conservation planning petitions and life history. They are members of the same family as auks puffins and murres.

Marbled murrelets are small seabirds. 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. 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. Murrelets are general found in near shore waters within 3 miles from the coast with nesting areas nearby.

All members of the alcid family swim under water propelling themselves with their wings much like their penguin counterparts in the southern hemisphere. 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. Males and females have sooty brown upperparts with dark bars. The murrelet comes ashore only during the breeding season to lay and incubate one egg and to feed the nestling.

Marbled murrelets depend on both marine and forest habitat.