Photo: Eric Ellingson / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Ancient Murrelet
Synthliboramphus antiquus
Ancient Murrelet (Synthliboramphus antiquus) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 15 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Ancient Murrelet (Synthliboramphus antiquus) is a member of the Alcidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia and North America. Adults weigh 218 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Charadriiformes
- Family Alcidae Auks
- Genus Synthliboramphus
- Species antiquus
Where it lives
Temperate northwest to northeastern North Pacific coasts: patchily Kamchatka, Sea of Okhotsk, Sakhalin, Kuril and Commander is. (eastern Russia); Sea of Japan and Yellow Sea, Aleutian Is., Gulf of Alaska to western British Columbia (southwestern Canada)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 218 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Alcidae
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Vulnerable
Endangered
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Ancient Murrelet hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of open sea and coastal waters, it swims and feeds in and around water.
Migration
The Ancient Murrelet is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Ancient Murrelet (Synthliboramphus antiquus) belongs to the Alcidae family of the order Charadriiformes. It is found across Europe & Northern Asia and North America. Its distribution covers PAL, NA temperate nw to ne North Pacific coasts: patchily Kamchatka, Sea of Okhotsk, Sakhalin, Kuril and Commander is. (e Russia); Sea of Japan and Yellow Sea, Aleutian Is., Gulf of Alaska to w British Columbia (sw Canada).
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 218 g, with a wing length of about 13.6 cm and a tail of around 3.6 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 436,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Ancient Murrelet?
The Ancient Murrelet is a large bird that weighs around 218 g.
Where does the Ancient Murrelet live?
The Ancient Murrelet is found across Europe & Northern Asia and North America with a range covering PAL, NA temperate nw to ne North Pacific coasts: patchily Kamchatka, Sea of Okhotsk, Sakhalin, Kuril and Commander is. (e Russia); Sea of Japan and Yellow Sea, Aleutian Is., Gulf of Alaska to w British Columbia (sw Canada), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Ancient Murrelet belong to?
The Ancient Murrelet (Synthliboramphus antiquus) belongs to the Alcidae family, in the order Charadriiformes.
What does the Ancient Murrelet eat?
The Ancient Murrelet hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Ancient Murrelet migrate?
The Ancient Murrelet is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Ancient Murrelet endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Ancient Murrelet make?
1 real field recording of the Ancient Murrelet — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Ancient Murrelet's range?
The Ancient Murrelet has a mapped global range of about 436,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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