Bird · GBIF taxon 5229281
Marbled Murrelet
Brachyramphus marmoratusAlso known as Fog-lark
Marbled murrelets lead a remarkable dual life, spending most of their days diving for small schooling fish in cool coastal ocean waters while commuting up to 50 miles inland to nest. Unlike almost all other seabirds, females lay a single egg on thick, mossy branches high within ancient, old-growth coniferous trees. Adults fly swiftly beneath the forest canopy at dawn and dusk to feed their chick, relying on dark mottled plumage for camouflage against predators.
Ocean BirdForest Nesting
—observations
—countries
—peak records
EndangeredConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXEndangeredRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Pacific Sand Lance
- Pacific Herring
- Capelin
Predators
- Steller's Jay
- Common Raven
- Bald Eagle
ThreatsLoss of old-growth nesting forest to logging, oil spills, gillnet entanglement, and ocean warming
HabitatsCoastal ocean waters and old-growth coniferous forests
Life span10–15 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyAlcidae
- SpeciesBrachyramphus marmoratus
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
- What to notice
- Recognize this bird by its small size, dark mottled brown summer plumage, and fast direct flight above ocean or forest.
- Support conservation
- Keep clear of restricted nesting areas and avoid using playbacks or lights that could disturb breeding pairs.
Responsible observation
- Listen at Dawn: Listen for high-pitched whistle calls high above ancient forest canopies during morning twilight.
- Scan Nearshore Waters: Look for compact, low-floating birds swimming in pairs just past the surf zone.
- Respect Nesting Forests: Avoid entering protected old-growth stands during the spring and summer breeding season.
Predator no rights reserved, uploaded by Zoltán Stekkelpak · cc0
Close Relative Close Relative Family Member
Help improve the field guideSomething wrong?
Checking your Fauna account…Report a name, category, or profile issue for review.