Visual Search | Wizard | Browse
Bird name:

Xantus's Murrelet

Synthliboramphus hypoleucusOrder: CHARADRIIFORMES Family: Auks, Murres and Puffins (Alcidae)
Codes: Common Name: XAMU Scientific Name: SYNHYP ITIS Taxonomic No.: 177011
Xantus's Murrelet Head Illustration

Head

Topo Map: Upright-perching Water-like Head
  • Bill Shape: All-purpose
  • Eye Color: Brown.
  • Head Pattern: Eyering (complete or broken)
  • Crown Color: Black
  • Forehead Color: Black
  • Nape Color: Black
  • Throat Color: White
  • Cere color: No Data
Splitbar

Recommended Products:

Clingers Only Feeder
Weather resistant inexpensive feeder is ideal for small birds.
Suet Delight
Easy to hang and maintain, holds all kinds of packaged suet.
Ultimate Woodpecker Feeder
Only allows woodpeckers to feed made of Inland Cedar.
The No-No Copper Feeder
Beautiful copper feeder holds 2.5 lbs of sunflower seeds.
Attracting Clingers
Xantus's Murrelet Body Illustration

Body

Topo Map: Upright-perching Water-like Body
  • Length Range: 25 cm (10 in)
  • Weight: 167 g (5.9 oz)
  • Size: Size 3. Medium (9 - 16 in)
  • Color: White, Black
  • Underparts: White
  • Upperparts: Black
  • Back Pattern: Solid
  • Belly Pattern: Solid
  • Breast Pattern: Solid
Xantus's Murrelet Flight Illustration

Flight

Topo Map: Upright-perching Water-like Flight
  • Flight Pattern: Swift direct flight with rapid wing beats.
  • Wingspan Range: 41 cm (16 in)
  • Wing Shape: Tapered-Wings
  • Tail Shape: Squared Tail
  • Tail Pattern: Solid
  • Upper Tail: Black
  • Under Tail: White
  • Leg Color: Black
.
Family Auks, Murres and Puffins (Alcidae)_blue
Species Synthliboramphus hypoleucus
Length10 Inches
Wingspan16 Inches

Xantus's Murrelet

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.

● 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.
Xantus's Murrelet Body Illustration
● 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 HeadX
Upright-perching Water-like BodyX
Upright-perching Water-like FlightX
4 and 6 letter alpha codesX

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.

Read more...
ITIS CodesX

The Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) was established in the mid-1990�s as a cooperative project among several federal agencies to improve and expand upon taxonomic data (known as the NODC Taxonomic Code) maintained by the National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

To find the ITIS page for a bird species go to the ITIS web site advanced search and report page at http://www.itis.gov/advanced_search.html. You can enter the TSN or the common name of the bird. It will return the ITIS page for that bird. Another way to obtain the ITIS page is to use the Google search engine. Enter the string ITIS followed by the taxonomic ID, for example "ITIS 178041" will return the page for the Allen's Hummingbird.

Read more...
Parts of a Standing birdX
Head Feathers and MarkingsX
Parts of a Flying birdX