Marbled Murrelet Species Profile

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 species profile.

Murrelets are general found in near shore waters within 3 miles from the coast with nesting areas nearby. T he marbled murrelet is a small pacific seabird belonging to the family alcidae. 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. 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.

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 is a small robin sized diving seabird that feeds primarily on fish and invertebrates in near shore marine waters. These birds have slender black bills long narrow wings and short tails. Underparts are light mottled brown.

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. Marbled murrelets are in the same family as auklets puffins and murres. During the breeding season they have mottled brown plumage. In winter they have black and white plumage and conspicuous white wing patches.

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 small seabirds. Fws s threatened endangered species system track information about listed species in the united states. Marbled murrelets depend on both marine and forest habitat.

This came on the heels of more than a century of searching by early ornithologists for the elusive murrelet nest. 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. The canadian marbled murrelet recovery team developed a recovery strategy to be compliant with the canadian species at risk act environment canada 2014. They are members of the same family as auks puffins and murres.

U s fws species profile about species listing status federal register publications recovery critical habitat conservation planning petitions and life history.