Marbled Murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus) are small seabirds that live along the northern Pacific Coast of North America. They are listed as Threatened by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) and are on the provincial Red-list in British Columbia. The species is also listed as Threatened in Washington, Oregon and California. Marbled Murrelets are secretive birds with a unique life history and it is only recently that scientists have begun to learn about the details of Marbled Murrelet biology.

In response to their Threatened listing, a Marbled Murrelet Recovery Team was established in 1993 to plan the long-term conservation of Marbled Murrelets. The Recovery Team includes representatives of federal and provincial government agencies, industry and non-governmental organizations.

Research conducted by members of the recovery team and their colleagues has increased our knowledge of Marbled Murrelet biology. Nest sites have been located and information about Marbled Murrelet distributions and movements has been collected. This new knowledge is fundamental to revising the Recovery Plan for the Marbled Murrelet.

This web site provides an introduction to Marbled Murrelet biology and management issues in B.C., and provides examples of some of the types of research and monitoring that are currently being conducted.

This page was created by L. Barjaktarovic and D. Bertram, December, 2001, and updated by J. Shapiro, May 2003.