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Marbled Murrelet
last update: Mar 24, 2009 12:02 PM
Latin name: Brachyramphus marmoratus
Population: 475,000-760,000 individuals
Cites classified: Endangered
Where found: Pacific coast of North America
Age/ life expectancy: approx. 15 years
Wingspan: 40 cm
Length: 24-25 cm
Weight: 258-357 g
Mating/Breeding: The breeding behaviour of the Marbled Murrelet is very unusual, unlike seabirds outside its genus it doesn't nest in colonies, instead it nests on branches of old-growth and mature conifers such as Western Hemlock, Sitka Spruce, Douglas Fir and Coastal Redwood, as far as 80 km inland. It lays one egg on a platform of lichen or moss on these branches (less often on the ground). The egg is incubated for a month, then fed for around 40 days until the chick is able to fledge. The chick then leaves the nest and flies unaccompanied to the sea. Breeding success is low and chick mortality high.
Hibernation: winters at sea in the breeding range
Hunting Habits: underwater dives, using wings to swim
Feed on: sandeels and herring, and invertebrates in winter
Predators/Threats: loss of nesting habitat, predation of chicks by corvids (Steller’s jays, crows, and ravens) that are expanding into old-growth forests
Colour/Body: The Marbled Murrelet is a small, chunky auk with a slender black bill. It has pointed wings and plumage that varies by season. The non-breeding plumage is typically white underneath with a black crown, nape, wings and back.
Interesting Trivia:
- The Marbled Murrelet was once known as the "Australian Bumble Bee" by fishermen and as the "fogbird" or "fog lark" by loggers.
