Birds · Charadriiformes · Alcidae
Ancient Murrelet
Synthliboramphus antiquus
Least Concern
The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk.
The ancient murrelet is an auk of the North Pacific with a black head, a grey back and fine white feathers above the eyes that give it a grey-haired look, which is where its name comes from. It breeds in burrows dug beneath the forest on North Pacific islands, and its chicks leave the nest at two or three days old to join their parents at sea.
Weight
180 g – 250 g
Size
24 cm – 27 cm
Life expectancy
15 years
