Birds · Charadriiformes · Alcidae
Scripps's Murrelet
Synthliboramphus scrippsi
It faces a high risk of extinction in the wild over the medium term. See full glossary
Scripps's murrelet is a small black and white auk that breeds in crevices and under bushes on a few islands off California and Baja California. It was split from the Guadalupe murrelet as a species of its own in 2012. Its chicks do something astonishing: they leave the nest two days after hatching, throw themselves into the sea from the cliff and finish growing up on the open ocean with their parents.
Weight
140 g – 190 g
Size
23 cm – 25 cm
Lifespan
12 years
Diet
Carnivore
Feeds mainly on other animals.
Activity
Nocturnal
Active mainly at night.
Social structure
In pairs
Usually lives in pairs, sometimes for life.
Sighting difficulty
Moderate
Fun facts
- Its chicks leave the nest two days after hatching: they run down to the cliff edge at night, throw themselves into the sea and swim out with their parents, which go on raising them on the open ocean for weeks.
- The eradication of rats on Anacapa Island, in California, multiplied its breeding success immediately and is one of the best-documented cases of island restoration in North America.
- It was recognised as a species of its own in 2012, when it was separated from the Guadalupe murrelet, with which it had been lumped for decades.
Life cycle & biology
- Skeleton type
- Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
- Habitat & environment
- Pacific waters off California; breeds in crevices on islands of the Channel Islands and Baja California
- Sexual maturity
- 2 years
- Gestation / incubation
- 34 days of incubation
- Litter / clutch size
- 2 eggs
Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthliboramphus_scrippsi
Where to watch it
Parks and dive sites where this species has been documented.
Related species
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Scripps's Murrelet — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
Ancient Murrelet
Synthliboramphus antiquus
Marbled Murrelet
Brachyramphus marmoratus
VulnerableAtlantic Puffin
Fratercula arctica
VulnerableLemon Shark
Negaprion brevirostris
Horned Puffin
Fratercula corniculata
Great Auk
Pinguinus impennis
How to help
The scripps's murrelet is classified as vulnerable. Organizations such as UICN, WWF y Wildlife Conservation Society work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programs is a good starting point if you want to get involved.
It's documented in 3 real protected areas — part of why protecting these places matters for its conservation.
Keep exploring
Based on what we already know about scripps's murrelet.
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