Marbled Murrelet Washington Habitat

Washington state agency issues long term conservation plan for marbled murrelet sep.

Marbled murrelet washington 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. 23 2019 at 10 03 am two marbled murrelets in the puget sound off of lopez island. Fish and wildlife service usfws bases its definition of marbled murrelet nesting habitat on the presence of potential nest platforms. The marbled murrelet is listed as a federal threatened and state endangered species wac 220 610 010 in washington endangered means any wildlife species native to the state that is seriously threatened with extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range within the state.

Fish and wildlife service due to concerns about loss of nesting habitat entanglement in fishing gear and oil spills. The canadian population was declared nationally threatened in 1990. A murrelet sits on its nest in the crook of a large tree branch. In 1992 the washington oregon and california population of the marbled murrelet was federally listed as threatened.

21 2019 at 4 23 am updated sep. Dnr has operated under an interim murrelet conservation strategy since the approval of its hcp by the us fish and wildlife service usfws in 1997. Important components of marbled murrelet nest trees in washington state murrelet nest trees in washington occur within 55 mi 88 5 km of marine waters and support the following structural and landscape components. A site has suitable nesting habitat if a platform tree is within a minimum 5 acre contiguous.

Despite federal public land protections in washington state murrelets old forest habitat has declined by more than 10 percent notably on state and private lands. 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 critical habitat is designated for the species and a new proposal for critical habitat is available for review. Marbled murrelet conservation strategy adopted the board of natural resources adopted a long term conservation strategy for the marbled murrelet at its meeting tuesday december 3 2019. In october 2008 usfws initiated a 12 month status review of the species as a result of a petition to delist.

Marbled murrelets have declined by almost 30 percent since 1992. The marbled murrelet populations in washington oregon and california were listed as threatened in 1992 by the u s.