Xantus's Murrelet

Synthliboramphus hypoleucusOrder: CHARADRIIFORMES Family: Auks, Murres and Puffins (Alcidae)

Codes: Common Name: XAMU Scientific Name: SYNHYP ITIS Taxonomic No.: 177011

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Overview

Xantus's Murrelet: Medium-sized Murrelet with black upperparts and white cheeks, throat, underparts, and underwing coverts. Bill is dark and thin. Eyes are brown with broken white eye-rings. Legs and feet are black. Feeds on small crustaceans and fish. Swift direct low flight with rapid wing beats.

Range and Habitat

Xantus's Murrelet: An ocean-dwelling species, breeds on offshore islands of Baja California and southern California; occasionally wanders north to Vancouver Island.

Topo Map: Upright-perching Water-like Body

Listen to Call

Voice Text

Generally silent

Interesting Facts

The Xantus's Murrelet feeds far out at sea, often in association with large predatory fish like tuna, on larval fish like anchovies and sardines. It is a wing-propelled diver, chasing down prey under the water with powerful wing beats.

The major threat to the survival of this species is depredation of eggs and young by introduced mammals on its nesting islands. Feral cats, which may also kill incubating adults, have been responsible for eradicating murrelets from a number of islands.

On Santa Barbara Island, deer mice destroyed an average of 42% of eggs laid every year and were sometimes observed killing untended chicks.

A group of auks has many collective nouns, including a "colony", "loomery", and "raft" of auks.

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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.

Xantus's Murrelet

● Song: Generally silent

● Foraging & Feeding: Xantus's Murrelet: Feeds on small fish; forages by diving and pursuing prey underwater. Breeding success may depend on availability of prey.

● Breeding & nesting: Xantus's Murrelet: One or two blue or green eggs with brown spots are laid among boulders or in a crevice near an island beach. Incubation ranges from 27 to 44 days and is carried out by both parents.

● Similar species: Xantus's Murrelet: Craveri's Murrelet has dark wing linings, black extending onto sides of breast, black chin, and longer, thinner bill.

Flight Pattern

Swift direct flight with rapid wing beats.

● Range & Habitat: Xantus's Murrelet: An ocean-dwelling species, breeds on offshore islands of Baja California and southern California; occasionally wanders north to Vancouver Island.

^BreedingMonogamous, Colonial

^PopulationUncommon to fairly common

^MigrationNonmigratory

^Weight5.9 Ounces

Upright-perching Water-like Body

Underparts

Belly, undertail coverts, chest, flanks, and foreneck.

Upperparts

Back, rump, hindneck, wings, and crown.

4 and 6 letter alpha codes

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

Field Guide to Birds of North America