Marbled Murrelet Usfws

Threatened the marbled murrelet is federally listed under the endangered species act as a threatened species in washington oregon and california and state listed as endangered in california and as threatened in oregon and washington.

Marbled murrelet usfws.

Marbled murrelets brachyramphus marmoratus range from alaska to california and are federally listed under the u s. 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. Fws s threatened endangered species system track information about listed species in the united states. Marbled murrelets nest as solitary pairs at low densities almost exclusively in old growth forests typically within 30 km of the ocean.

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. Marbled murrelet management areas all new or expanded recreation facilities trails and recreation leases in occupied sites and buffers and marbled murrelet management areas will be evaluated by dnr for impacts. Recovery of the murrelet depends in large part on conservation and restoration of breeding habitat on federally managed lands. It is a member of the auk family.

Marbled murrelets are seabirds that forage in marine waters but nest in forests. 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 came on the heels of more than a century of searching by early ornithologists for the elusive murrelet nest. They locate their nest in a depression on a mat of moss lichen or debris accumulations on large branches.

It nests in old growth forests or on the ground at higher latitudes where trees cannot grow. Endangered species act as threatened in washington oregon and california usfws 1997. The marbled murrelet is a small robin sized diving seabird that feeds primarily on fish and invertebrates in near shore marine waters. In washington marbled murrelets nest in mature and old growth conifer forests and sometimes in comparatively younger forests with residual old growth trees.