Marbled Murrelet Size

Fish and wildlife service and other state federal and private researchers to participate in a program to estimate marbled murrelet population size.

Marbled murrelet size.

The marbled murrelet brachyramphus marmoratus is a small seabird from the north pacific it is a member of the auk family. These stocky little birds dive for zooplankton and fish using their wings to fly underwater. Marbled murrelets make tree nests on large moss and lichen covered branches high usually over 40 feet above the ground in mature and old growth coniferous forest normally in the largest tree in the area. 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.

Marbled murrelets or juvenile ancient murrelets and he believed the food supply of the ancient murrelet was spotty and unpredictable. It nests in old growth forests or on the ground at higher latitudes where trees cannot grow. Similar size and shape is the ancient murrelet. The amount of suitable habitat has continued to decline throughout the range of the marbled murrelet primarily due to commercial timber harvest.

Its habit of nesting in trees was suspected but not documented until a tree climber found a chick in 1974 making it one of the last north american bird species to have its nest. Incubate one month one month to fledge food herring smelt anchovies. The marbled murrelet is a small robin sized diving seabird that feeds primarily on fish and invertebrates in near shore marine waters. A wdfw biologist examines a marbled murrelet for a diet research project teresa lorenz u s.

The precise amount of suitable murrelet habitat within the listed range is unknown. When airborne the stubby wings. The information derived from this effort is the only information available to assess population size and trends in this geographic area for this species. Related to puffins murres auks size 10 inches habitat surfline to 2 miles out plumage dark grey above white below winter.

Less commonly they make ground nests in a depression in a rocky talus slope boulder field or similar area sometimes on moss matted. At least 10 years of surveys are needed to adequately document trends in population size. In summer this species is black and white and not likely to be confused with its marbled relative. At sea marbled murrelet population monitoring since 2000 wdfw has joined usda forest service pacific northwest research station u s.

Mottled in milk chocolate brown during the summer adults change into stark black and white for winter. A seabird that s also a forest bird the marbled murrelet fishes along the foggy pacific coast then flies inland to nest in mossy old growth trees. In winter when both are black and white the marbled murrelet can be distinguished by its white throat and a horizontal white strip above the folded wing.