Bird · GBIF taxon 9410588
Scripps's Murrelet
Synthliboramphus scrippsiAlso known as Scripps's Xantus's Murrelet, Southern Xantus's Murrelet
Scripps's murrelets are small, secretive seabirds that spend almost their entire lives on open marine waters, coming ashore only under the cover of night to nest in rocky crevices on offshore islands. Parents share incubation duties in shifts before their precocial chicks hatch and head straight to sea just a few nights later, guided by adult vocalizations. Highly vulnerable to coastal oil spills and invasive island predators, these ocean wanderers rely on protected island sanctuaries within the California Current system for survival.
PelagicSeabirdNesting Bird
—observations
—countries
—peak records
VulnerableConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXVulnerableRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Northern Anchovy
- Larval Fish
- Krill
Predators
- Peregrine Falcon
- Western Gull
- Feral Cat
ThreatsInvasive island predators, oil spills, light pollution, climate change
HabitatsOpen ocean, pelagic marine waters, rocky offshore islands
Life span10–15 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyAlcidae
- SpeciesSynthliboramphus scrippsi
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
- Recognized by its tiny compact body, black upperparts, stark white underparts, and slender black bill.
- Support conservation
- Observe exclusively from marine vessels at a safe distance and never land on protected nesting islands.
Responsible observation
- Pelagic Boat Trips: Look for floating pairs resting on open water during pelagic birding trips off Southern California.
- Isle Distance: Keep watercraft at a distance from offshore breeding islands to prevent nest disturbance.
- Night Lighting: Dim boat lights near breeding colonies, as bright lights can disorient adults at night.
Co-occurring Auk Andreas Trepte / CC BY-SA 2.5 · cc-by-sa
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