The marbled murrelet is a small seabird from the North Pacific. It is a member of the family Alcidae, which includes auklets, guillemots, murres and puffins. It nests in old-growth forests or on the ground at higher latitudes where trees cannot grow. Its population has declined since humans began logging its nest trees in the latter half of the 19th century. The decline of the marbled murrelet and its association with old-growth forests—at least in the southern part of its range—have made it a flagship species in the forest protection movement.
Region
North Pacific Rim
Typical Environment
Breeds and forages along the coasts of the North Pacific from northern Japan and the Russian Far East through the Aleutians and Alaska to British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and central California. At sea it uses nearshore waters, bays, and fjords, often close to kelp beds and tidal rips. For nesting it travels inland, sometimes over 50–80 km, to old-growth conifer forests. In the far north where large trees are absent, it may nest on the ground among rocks near the treeline.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1500 m
Climate Zone
Temperate
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Unlike most alcids, the marbled murrelet often nests high on large, moss-covered branches of old-growth conifers such as Douglas-fir, Sitka spruce, and redwood. It commutes at dawn and dusk between inland nest sites and coastal feeding areas, carrying a single fish to its chick. Populations have declined due to loss of old-growth nesting habitat and increased nest predation near human-altered areas. It is a conservation flagship for temperate rainforest protection along the Pacific coast.
Adult Marbled Murrelet on the Oregon Coast adjacent to Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge, OR Photo: Roy W. Lowe/USFWS
Marbled Murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus) showing winter plumage
Marbled murrelet chick (taxidermy)
Temperament
secretive near nests, social at sea
Flight Pattern
low, fast flight with rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Often forages singly or in small groups nearshore, but forms looser aggregations in productive waters. Pairs are monogamous and nest solitarily, laying a single egg on a wide, mossy branch or occasionally on the ground at high latitudes. Adults commute at dawn and dusk between sea and nest, with both parents provisioning the chick. Nesting is highly cryptic to avoid predation.
Migratory Pattern
Partial migrant
Song Description
Generally quiet at sea, but gives high, buzzy, and sharp keer calls near nesting areas. Rapid, thin whistles and raspy notes are used in flight or during crepuscular commutes.
