General
Long-billed Murrelet: Small seabird with dark brown body, paler throat, white eye-ring, and darker brown bars on underparts. Bill is straight and black. Sexes are similar. Winter adult and juvenile have dark cap extending below the eye, pale stripes on back, and white underparts; juvenile throat and upper breast are lightly washed with gray.
Range and Habitat
Long Billed Murrelet: Rare to casual occurrences reported throughout North America, especially in fall and winter. Preferred habitats include lakes and rivers, rocky places, coniferous and open forests.
Breeding and Nesting
Long Billed Murrelet: One blue-green egg is laid in a nest made of moss and lichens, built far from the ocean, usually on the branch of a conifer. Incubation is estimated to be 27 to 30 days and is carried out by both parents.
Foraging and Feeding
Long Billed Murrelet: Diet consists of fish and crustaceans; forages by diving from the surface.
Vocalization
Long Billed Murrelet: Song is a repeated call of "meer, meer" in flight and on water.
Similar Species
Long Billed Murrelet: Marbled Murrelet has cinnamon-brown underparts with black mottling and bars. Kittlitz's Murrelet has a shorter bill and whiter underparts.