Photo: Greg Schechter from San Francisco, USA / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Scripps’s Murrelet
Synthliboramphus scrippsi
Scripps's Murrelet (Synthliboramphus scrippsi) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of North America.
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The Scripps’s Murrelet (Synthliboramphus scrippsi) is a member of the Alcidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and North America. Adults weigh 167 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Vulnerable.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Charadriiformes
- Family Alcidae Auks
- Genus Synthliboramphus
- Species scrippsi
Where it lives
East-central North Pacific coast: Channel Is. (southern California) and islands off northwestern, north-central Baja California to San Benito (northwestern Mexico)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 167 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Alcidae
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Endangered
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Scripps’s 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 Scripps’s Murrelet is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Scripps’s Murrelet (Synthliboramphus scrippsi) belongs to the Alcidae family of the order Charadriiformes. Its range spans Central America & Caribbean and North America. Its distribution covers NA, MA ec North Pacific coast: Channel Is. (s California) and islands off nw, nc Baja California to San Benito (nw Mexico).
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 167 g, with a wing length of about 12 cm and a tail of around 3.1 cm.
It is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern. Vulnerable species face a high risk of extinction in the wild if pressures continue.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 136,000 km².
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Scripps’s Murrelet?
The Scripps’s Murrelet is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 167 g.
Where does the Scripps’s Murrelet live?
The Scripps’s Murrelet is found across Central America & Caribbean and North America with a range covering NA, MA ec North Pacific coast: Channel Is. (s California) and islands off nw, nc Baja California to San Benito (nw Mexico), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Scripps’s Murrelet belong to?
The Scripps’s Murrelet (Synthliboramphus scrippsi) belongs to the Alcidae family, in the order Charadriiformes.
What does the Scripps’s Murrelet eat?
The Scripps’s Murrelet hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Scripps’s Murrelet migrate?
The Scripps’s Murrelet is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Scripps’s Murrelet endangered?
It is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern Vulnerable species face a high risk of extinction in the wild if pressures continue.
How large is the Scripps’s Murrelet's range?
The Scripps’s Murrelet has a mapped global range of about 136,000 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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