Menu

Volume 46, No. 2

Volumes > 38 (2010-->)

Volumes 28-37 (2000-09)

Volumes 18-27 (1990-99)

Volumes 5-17 (1978-89) a.k.a 'Cormorant'

Search by author or title:

Breeding of Craveri's Murrelet Synthliboramphus craveri at four islands off west-central Baja California, México


Authors

DARRELL L. WHITWORTH1, HARRY R. CARTER1,2, EDUARDO PALACIOS1,3 & FRANKLIN GRESS1
1California Institute of Environmental Studies, P.O. Box 1185, Davis, California 95617 USA (darrellwhitworth@ciesresearch.org)
2Carter Biological Consulting, 1015 Hampshire Road, Victoria, British Columbia V8S 4S8 Canada
3Centro de Investigación Científica y Educación Superior de Ensenada, Unidad La Paz, Miraflores 334 Col. Bellavista, La Paz, Baja California Sur 23050, México

Citation

WHITWORTH, D.L., CARTER, H.R., PALACIOS, E. & GRESS, F. 2018. Breeding of Craveri's Murrelet Synthliboramphus craveri at four islands off west-central Baja California, México. Marine Ornithology 46: 117 - 124
http://doi.org/10.5038/2074-1235.46.2.1265

Received 22 December 2017, accepted 30 June 2018

Date Published: 2018/10/15
Date Online: 2018/8/13
Download PDF
Key words: Baja California, Craveri's Murrelet, Isla Asunción, Isla Cedros, Isla San Martín, Isla San Roque, Synthliboramphus craveri

Abstract

Breeding by Craveri's Murrelet (CRMU) has been documented on many islands in the Gulf of California, México, but has never been convincingly demonstrated on islands off the west coast of Baja California (BC). In 2007-2008, we confirmed CRMU breeding at Islas San Roque (n = 1 nest), Asunción (n = 2), Cedros (n = 2), and San Martín (n = 1) off west-central BC, using genetic analysis of eggshell membranes to confirm species identity. Spotlight surveys of Synthliboramphus murrelets attending at-sea congregations recorded 9-14 murrelets (n = 1 survey) at San Roque, 24-25 at Asunción (n = 1), 168 at Cedros (n = 1), and 69 (± 15 SD; n = 2) at San Martín. All murrelets captured in at-sea congregations at San Roque (n = 6) were CRMU, but two species (82% CRMU, 18% Scripps's Murrelet S. scrippsi [SCMU]) were captured at Cedros (n = 11), and three species (63 % CRMU, 25% SCMU, 13% Guadalupe Murrelet S. hypoleucus) were captured at San Martín (n = 8). Applying a spotlight survey correction factor that quantified the relationship between the number of murrelets attending at-sea congregations and the number of nests on the adjacent shoreline, we tentatively estimated 14-22 CRMU pairs (95% C.I. = 10-40 pairs) at San Roque, 38-40 (95% C.I. = 26-72) at Asunción, 221 (95% C.I. = 152-399) at Cedros and 69 (95% C.I. = 47-124) at San Martín. To our knowledge, these are the first population estimates for any CRMU colony. Confirmation of CRMU breeding at these four islands increased our understanding of Synthliboramphus murrelet distribution in the region, lending credence to presumed historical breeding by CRMU at Islas Natividad and San Benitos (where breeding has since been confirmed). More spotlight surveys, at-sea captures, and nest searches are needed to better determine the presence, size, and species composition of the murrelet populations on either side of BC.

References


ANTHONY, A.W. 1900. Notes on the genus Micruria. The Auk 17: 168-169.

BANCROFT, G. 1927. Notes on the breeding coastal and insular birds of central Lower California. The Condor 29: 188-195.

BANCROFT, G. 1930. Eggs of Xantus and Craveri Murrelets. The Condor 32: 247-254.

BIRT, T.P., CARTER, H.R., WHITWORTH, D.L., ET AL. 2012. Rangewide population structure of the Xantus's Murrelet (Synthliboramphus hypoleucus). The Auk 129: 44-55.

BIRT, T.P., FRIESEN, V.L., CARTER, H.R., WHITWORTH, D.L., & NEWMAN, S.H. 2008. Genetic structure and inter-colony dispersal of Xantus's Murrelets: progress report. Unpubl. report, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada and California Institute of Environmental Studies, Davis, California.

BREESE, D., TERSHY, B.R. & CRAIG, D.P. 1993. Craveri's Murrelet: confirmed nesting and fledging age at San Pedro Mártir Island, Gulf of California. Colonial Waterbirds 16: 92-94.

BOWEN, T. 2013. The type locality of Craveri's Murrelet Synthliboramphus craveri. Marine Ornithology 41: 49-54.

CARTER, H.R., SEALY, S.G., BURKETT, E.E. & PIATT, J.F. 2005. Biology and conservation of Xantus's Murrelet: discovery, taxonomy and distribution. Marine Ornithology 33: 81-87.

CHESSER, R.T., BANKS, R.C., BARKER, F.K., ET AL. 2012. Fifty-third supplement to the American Ornithologists' Union Check List of North American Birds. The Auk 129: 573-588.

COOKE, W.W. 1916. The type locality of Brachyramphus craverii. The Auk 33: 80. 

CRAVERI. F. 1990. Giornale di Viaggio: Avventura ed Esplorazione Naturalistica in America Centrosettentrionale 1855-1859. Vol. 1. Brizio, D. (Ed.). Città di Bra, Italy: Museo Civico Craveri di Storia Naturale.

DEWEESE, L.R. & ANDERSON, D.W. 1976. Distribution and breeding biology of Craveri's Murrelet. Transactions of the San Diego Society of Natural History 18: 155-168.

DROST, C.A. & LEWIS, D.B. 1995. Scripps's Murrelet (Synthliboramphus scrippsi). In: P.G. Rodewald (Ed.) The Birds of North America, No. 164. Ithaca, New York: Cornell Lab of Ornithology.  

FRIEDMANN, H., GRISCOM, L. & MOORE, R.T. 1950. Distributional check-list of the birds of Mexico. Pacific Coast Avifauna. No. 29. Berkeley, CA: Cooper Ornithological Club.

GRINNELL J. 1928. A distributional summation of the ornithology of Lower California. University of California Publications in Zoology 32: 1-300.

HUEY, L.M. 1927. Northernmost breeding station of the Heerman Gull on the Pacific Ocean, and other notes from San Roque Island, Lower California. The Condor 29: 205-206.

JEHL, J.R. & BOND, S.I. 1975. Morphological variation and species limits in murrelets of the genus Endomychura. Transactions of the San Diego Society of Natural History 18: 9-22.

KAEDING, H.B. 1905. Birds from the west coast of Lower California and adjacent islands. The Condor 7: 105-138.

KEITT, B.S. 2005. Status of Xantus's Murrelet and its nesting habitat in Baja California, Mexico. Marine Ornithology 33: 105-114.

LAMB, C.C. 1927. The birds of Natividad Island, Lower California. The Condor 29: 67-70.

MCCHESNEY, G.J. & TERSHY, B.R. 1998. History and status of introduced mammals and impacts to breeding seabirds on the California Channel Islands and Northwestern Baja California Islands. Colonial Waterbirds 21: 335-347.

MURRAY, K.G., WINNETT-MURRAY, K., EPPLEY, Z.A., HUNT, G.L. Jr. & SCHWARTZ, D.B. 1983. Breeding biology of the Xantus' Murrelet. The Condor 85: 12-21.

SALVADORI, T. 1865. Descrizione di altre nuove specie di uccelli esistenti nel Museo di Torino. Atti della Societa Italiana di Scienze Naturali, Milano 8: 375-389.

SEALY, S.G. 1976. Biology of nesting Ancient Murrelets. The Condor 78: 294-306.

SECRETARíA DE MEDIO AMBIENTE Y RECURSOS NATURALES (SEMARNAT). 2010. NORMA Oficial Mexicana NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010, Protección ambiental-Especies nativas de México de flora y fauna silvestres-Categorías de riesgo y especificaciones para su inclusión, exclusión o cambio-Lista de especies en riesgo. Diario Oficial de la Federación. 30 diciembre 2010. 2: 1-77.

THAYER, J.E. & BANGS, O. 1907. Birds collected by W.W. Brown, Jr., on Cerros, San Benito and Natividad Islands in the spring of 1906, with notes on the biota of the islands. The Condor 9: 77-81.

VAN ROSSEM, A.J. 1915. Notes on murrelets and petrels. The Condor 17: 74-78.

VAN ROSSEM, A.J. 1926. The Craveri Murrelet in California. The Condor 28: 80-83.

VELARDE, E., NAVARRO, C.J., RUIZ, E.A. & AGUILAR, A. 2011. The status of Craveri's Murrelet Synthliboramphus craveri and reoccupation of a former nesting area. Marine Ornithology 39: 269-273.

VIOLANI, C. & BOANO, G. 1990. L'Uria di Craveri Synthliboramphus Craveri (Aves, Alcidae). Rivista Piemontese di Storia Naturale 11: 155-162.

WHITWORTH, D.L. & CARTER, H.R. 2014. Nocturnal spotlight surveys for monitoring Scripps's murrelets in at-sea congregations at Anacapa Island, California. Monographs of the Western North American Naturalist 7: 306-320.

WHITWORTH, D.L. & CARTER, H.R. 2018a. Scripps's Murrelet at San Miguel Island, California: status of a small population at the northwest limit of the breeding range. Western North American Naturalist 78(3): in press.

WHITWORTH, D.L. & CARTER, H.R. 2018b. Population trends for Scripps's Murrelet following eradication of black rats. Journal of Wildlife Management 82: 232-237. doi:10.1002/jwmg.21370

WHITWORTH, D.L., CARTER, H.R., DVORAK, T.M., FARLEY, L.S. & KING, J.L. 2014. Status, distribution, and conservation of Scripps's murrelet at Santa Catalina Island, California. Monographs of the Western North American Naturalist 7: 321-338.

WHITWORTH, D.W., CARTER, H.R., PARKER, M.W., GRESS, F. & BOOKER, M. 2018. Long-term monitoring of Scripps's murrelets and Guadalupe murrelets at San Clemente Island, California: evaluation of baseline data in 2012-2016. Western North American Naturalist 78(3): in press.

WHITWORTH, D.L, TAKEKAWA, J.Y., CARTER, H.R., & MCIVER, W.R. 1997. Night-lighting as an at-sea capture technique for Xantus' murrelets in the Southern California Bight. Colonial Waterbirds 20: 525-531.

WOLF, S., PHILLIPS, C., ZEPEDA-DOMINGUEZ, J.A., ALBORES-BARAJAS, Y. & MARTIN, P. 2005. Breeding biology of Xantus's Murrelet at the San Benito Islands, Baja California, México. Marine Ornithology 33: 123-129.

WRIGHT. H.W. 1913. The birds of San Martin Island, Lower California. The Condor 15: 207-210.

Search by author or title:

Browse previous volumes:

Volumes > 38 (2010-->)

Volumes 28-37 (2000-09)

Volumes 18-27 (1990-99)

Volumes 5-17 (1978-89) a.k.a 'Cormorant'