Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...

Marbled Murrelet

Brachyramphus marmoratus

The Marbled Murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus) is a diminutive seabird, a member of the Alcidae family, which includes relatives such as auklets, guillemots, murres, and puffins. This bird is approximately the size of a partridge, with a compact build and a slender black bill. Its plumage is seasonally variable, presenting a mottled brown appearance during breeding and a contrasting black and white during non-breeding periods.

Identification Tips

In breeding plumage, the Marbled Murrelet exhibits a brown mottled body and face, while in non-breeding plumage, it sports a white underbelly with a black crown, nape, wings, and back. The species can be distinguished from the similar Long-billed Murrelet by its shorter bill and the absence of a pale white throat. When in winter plumage, the Marbled Murrelet has a distinctive white neck collar, which the Long-billed lacks.

Habitat

The Marbled Murrelet is found in coastal environments, often within a couple of kilometers from the shore. It nests in mature or old-growth forests near the coastline, with a preference for large trees with moss-covered limbs. In regions devoid of large trees, it may nest on the ground among rocks or on rocky outcrops.

Distribution

This seabird breeds from Alaska's Kenai Peninsula and Aleutian Islands down to central California. In winter, it generally remains within this range, though it may retreat from the northernmost areas where ice forms on fiords.

Behaviour

Marbled Murrelets typically forage in pairs and do not form large feeding flocks. They feed on small fish and invertebrates, diving below the water's surface. Their foraging occurs both day and night, and they are known to visit coastal lakes as well as the ocean for feeding.

Song & Calls

The vocalizations of the Marbled Murrelet are less documented in this account, and thus, we shall not delve into the specifics of their calls or song.

Breeding

The Marbled Murrelet's breeding habits are quite unique among alcids, as it nests on the branches of old-growth trees or on the ground in treeless areas. It lays a single egg on a moss or lichen platform and feeds the chick for about 40 days until it is ready to fledge. Adults commute from the ocean to inland nest sites, primarily at dawn and dusk.

Similar Species

The Long-billed Murrelet is the species most similar to the Marbled Murrelet, with both species having been considered conspecific until 1998. The key differences include the Marbled Murrelet's shorter bill and the absence of a pale throat in breeding plumage.

Diet and Feeding

The diet of the Marbled Murrelet consists of small fish and invertebrates such as sand lance, Pacific herring, capelin, shiner perch, and various euphausiids. They forage near the shore and in protected bays, as well as in inland freshwater lakes.

Conservation status

The Marbled Murrelet is classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, with a population trend that is currently decreasing. Conservation efforts focus on preserving both their inland nesting habitat and their marine breeding and foraging habitats. The Northwest Forest Plan is one such initiative aimed at stabilizing the population by maintaining and increasing suitable nesting habitat.

App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

Marbled Murrelets on Birda

Photos
Sightings

More Auks

A photo of a Crested Auklet (Aethia cristatella)

Crested Auklet

Aethia cristatella
Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
Jane N
A great app
Enjoying it immensely and finding it useful too. Recording the different birds and counting them is showing me how the present climate is affecting them all. I've trebled the numbers by planting native hedging. A great app.
Pdydhdrexgi
Fantastic App
This is a really lovely app, for everyone interested in birds - from newbies to old hands. There is a very friendly feel to the community and you will genuinely learn a lot as you record your sightings and photos. There are lots of badges and competitions to keep you engaged, and a host of really useful features.
Amylia S
Best app for any birding person!
I love this app!! I am so addicted to it when I saw it had 3 star review I was so sad! The app is awesome!! The best app for any birding person! ❤️
Patricia L
Very encouraging birding app
Easy to use, fun to see progress and encouraging to receive feedback from other users.
Nedz53
Really useful
Downloaded to give it a try, everything worked perfectly, recorded my first bird watching walk. Very impressed. Have already recommended to friends!
Ellesse_W
Learning Birding with Birda
I’m relatively new to birding as a hobby, and Birda is a great way to keep track off all the species I see. I’m still working on my ID skills, but the app is great for figuring out potential species, and the online community is so friendly and helpful. Definitely recommend Birda to both early and serious birders! 🐦
Abi.M
Awesome App
I really enjoy using this app! It is such a friendly community of bird-lovers who are happy to help if I need ID advice. It’s been great motivation to get outdoors and go birding more! 10/10 😍😍
D3Nature
Great app for learning Birds
I’ve been using the app for a couple of months and love it....Someone said it’s like a real life Pokémon Go for birds. They’re not far off! It’s something that the family can do that gets you out and about. Well worth downloading no matter your age.
Stewart W
Fantastic to be involved
Fantastic to be involved, great for mental health and gets you responding with the Challenges that are to takd part in.
Sacha0508
Simply fantastic
I love this app, it puts so much fun into recording the birds I’ve seen and heard while I’m out and about. The interface is user-friendly and suitable for all ages. It’s great to collect badges and to review my “lists”.
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.