Volume 47, No. 2
Volumes > 38 (2010-->)
- Volume 52, No. 2, 2024
- Volume 52, No. 1, 2024
- Volume 51, No. 2, 2023
- Volume 51, No. 1, 2023
- Volume 50, No. 2, 2022
- Volume 50, No. 1, 2022
- Volume 49, No. 2, 2021
- Volume 49, No. 1, 2021
- Volume 48, No. 2, 2020
- Volume 48, No. 1, 2020
- Volume 47, No. 2, 2019
- Volume 47, No. 1, 2019
- Volume 46, No. 2, 2018
- Volume 46, No. 1, 2018
- Volume 45, No. 2, 2017
- Volume 45, No. 1, 2017
- Volume 44, No. 2, 2016
- Volume 44, No. 1, 2016
- Volume 43, No. 2, 2015
- Volume 43, No. 1, 2015
- Volume 42, No. 2, 2014
- Volume 42, No. 1, 2014
- Volume 41, No. 2, 2013
- Volume 41, No. 1, 2013
- Volume 41, Special Issue, 2013
- Volume 40, No. 2, 2012
- Volume 40, No. 1, 2012
- Volume 39, No. 2, 2011
- Volume 39, No. 1, 2011
- Volume 38, No. 2, 2010
- Volume 38, No. 1, 2010
Volumes 28-37 (2000-09)
- Volume 37, No. 3, 2009
- Volume 37, No. 2, 2009
- Volume 37, No. 1, 2009
- Volume 36, No. 2, 2008
- Volume 36, No. 1, 2008
- Volume 35, No. 2, 2007
- Volume 35, No. 1, 2007
- Volume 34, No. 2, 2006
- Volume 34, No. 1, 2006
- Volume 33, No. 2, 2005
- Volume 33, No. 1, 2005
- Volume 32, No. 2, 2004
- Volume 32, No. 1, 2004
- Volume 31, No. 2, 2003
- Volume 31, No. 1, 2003
- Volume 30, No. 2, 2002
- Volume 30, No. 1, 2002
- Volume 29, No. 2, 2001
- Volume 29, No. 1, 2001
- Volume 28, No. 2, 2000
- Volume 28, No. 1, 2000
Volumes 18-27 (1990-99)
- Volume 27, No. 1 & 2, 1999
- Volume 26, No. 1 & 2, 1998
- Volume 24, No. 1 & 2, 1996
- Volume 25, No. 1 & 2, 1997
- Volume 23, No. 2, 1995
- Volume 23, No. 1, 1995
- Volume 22, No. 2, 1994
- Volume 22, No. 1, 1994
- Volume 21, No. 1 & 2, 1993
- Volume 20, No. 1 & 2, 1992
- Volume 19, No. 1, 1991
- Volume 18, No. 1 & 2, 1990
Volumes 5-17 (1978-89) a.k.a 'Cormorant'
- Volume 17, No. 1 & 2, 1989
- Volume 16, No. 1, 1988
- Volume 16, No. 2, 1988
- Volume 15, No. 1 & 2, 1987
- Volume 14, No. 1 & 2, 1987
- Volume 13, No. 2, 1986
- Volume 13, No. 1, 1986
- Volume 12, No. 2, 1985
- Volume 12, No. 1, 1985
- Volume 11, No. 1 & 2, 1984
- Volume 10, No. 2, 1983
- Volume 10, No. 1, 1983
- Volume 9, No. 2, 1982
- Volume 9, No. 1, 1982
- Volume 8, No. 2, 1981
- Volume 8, No. 1, 1981
- Volume 7, 1980
- Volume 5, 1978
Search by author or title:
Nesting behavior of Marbled Murrelets Brachyramphus marmoratus in Washington and British Columbia
Citation
LORENZ, T.J., RAPHAEL, M.G. & BLOXTON, T.D. 2019. Nesting behavior of Marbled Murrelets Brachyramphus marmoratus in Washington and British Columbia.
Marine Ornithology 47: 157
- 166
http://doi.org/10.5038/2074-1235.47.2.1309
Received 5 July 2018, accepted 16 August 2018
Date Published: 2019/10/15
Date Online: 2019/05/28
Key words: Brachyramphus marmoratus, video surveillance, radio telemetry, nest predator, nest provisioning, nest success
Abstract
Marbled Murrelets are threatened seabirds that nest predominantly in old-growth forests in the southern part of their western North America range. Little is known about causes of nest failure, timing of parental visits, and nest reuse because it is difficult to locate and monitor nests of this cryptic species. We used radio telemetry to locate murrelet nests from 2004 to 2008 in northwestern Washington and southeastern British Columbia. We monitored four nests with video cameras to document causes of nest failure, and we visited 15 nests after the nesting season to infer nest fate. We also monitored six active nests with telemetry data loggers to determine the timing of parental visits and eight previous-year nests to determine nest reuse. Among 20 nests, four successfully fledged and 16 failed. Among failed nests, 10 failed from unknown causes and the remaining six failed from non-predatory causes. Parental visits during the incubation period occurred exclusively before dawn (100 % of 32 visits), whereas visits during the nestling period (n = 73) occurred during the morning (70 %), afternoon (1 %), and evening (29 %). Among eight nests monitored for reuse, we observed two cases of nest reuse and two cases in which nests were briefly visited by murrelets in later years but were not reused for nesting.
References
BARBAREE, B.A., NELSON, S.K., DUGGER, B.D., et al. 2014. Nesting ecology of Marbled Murrelets at a remote mainland fjord in southeast Alaska. The Condor 116: 173-184.
BENSEN, K.J. 2013. Forest and beach corvid monitoring and management, trail and backcountry management plan implementation: 2012 annual progress report. Orick, CA: Redwood National and State Parks. [Available online at: https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/OSPR/NRDA/Restoration-Monitoring-Reports. Accessed 18 April 2018].
BERTRAM, D.F., MACKAS, D.L. & MCKINNELL, S.M. 2001. The seasonal cycle revisited: interannual variation and ecosystem consequences. Progress in Oceanography 49: 238-307.
BERTRAM, D.F., DREVER, M.C., MCALLISTER, M.K., et al. 2015. Estimation of coast-wide population trends of Marbled Murrelets in Canada using a Bayesian hierarchical model. PLoS One 10: e0134891.
BRADLEY, R.W. & COOKE, F. 2001. Cliff and deciduous tree nests of Marbled Murrelets in southwestern British Columbia. Northwestern Naturalist 82: 52-57.
BRADLEY, R.W., COOKE, F., LOUGHEED, L.W. & BOYD, W. S. 2004. Inferring breeding success through radiotelemetry in the Marbled Murrelet. Journal of Wildlife Management 68: 318-331.
BURGER, A.E. 2001. Using radar to estimate populations and assess habitat associations of marbled murrelets. Journal of Wildlife Management 65: 696-715.
BURGER, A.E., MANLEY, I.A., SILVERGIETER, M.P., et al. 2009. Re-use of nest sites by Marbled Murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus) in British Columbia. Northwestern Naturalist 90: 217-226.
CARTER, H.R. & SEALY, S.G. 1987. Inland records of downy young and fledgling marbled murrelets in North America. Murrelet 68: 58-63.
COOPER, B.A. & BLAHA, R.J. 2002. Comparison of radar and audio-visual counts of marbled murrelets during inland forest surveys. Wildlife Society Bulletin 30: 1182-1194.
COX, A.M., SHULL, D.H. & HORNER, R.A. 2008. Profiles of Alexandrium catenella cysts in Puget Sound sediments and the relationship to paralytic shellfish poisoning events. Harmful Algae 7: 379-388.
FAABORG, J. 2004. Truly artificial nest studies. Conservation Biology 18: 369-370.
FAIR J., PAUL, E. & JONES, J. 2010. Guidelines to the use of wild birds in research. Washington, DC: Ornithological Council.
FALXA, G.A., RAPHAEL, M.G., STRONG, C. et al. 2016. Status and trend of Marbled Murrelet populations in the Northwest Forest Plan area. In: FALXA, G.A. & RAPHAEL, M.G. (Eds.) Northwest Forest Plan—the first 20 years (1994-2013): status and trend of Marbled Murrelet populations and nesting habitat. General Technical Report PNW-GTR-933. Portland, OR: US Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, pp 1-36.
FORD, C. & BROWN, M. 1995. Unusual Marbled Murrelet nest. Wilson Bulletin 107: 178-179.
GOLIGHTLY, R.T. & SCHNEIDER, S. 2011. Years nine and ten of a long-term monitoring effort at a Marbled Murrelet nest in northern California: final report. Arcata, CA: Department of Wildlife, Humboldt State University.
HAMER, T.E. & CUMMINS, E.B. 1991. Relationship between forest characteristics and the use of inland sites by Marbled Murrelets in northwestern Washington. Lynnwood, WA: Nongame Program, Wildlife Management Division, Washington Department of Wildlife.
HAMER, T.E. & NELSON, S.K. 1995. Characteristics of Marbled Murrelet nest trees and nesting stands. In: RALPH, C.J., HUNT, G.L., RAPHAEL, M.G. & PIATT, J.F. (Eds.) Ecology and conservation of the Marbled Murrelet. General Technical Report. PSW-GTR-152. Albany, CA: US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, pp. 69-82.
HEBERT, P.N. & GOLIGHTLY, R.T. 2007. Observations of nest predation by corvids at a Marbled Murrelet nest. Journal of Field Ornithology 78: 221-224.
HORNER, R.A., GREENGROVE, C.L., DAVIES-VOLLUM, K.S., et al. 2011. Spatial distribution of benthic cysts of Alexandrium catenella in surface sediments of Puget Sound, Washington, USA. Harmful Algae 11: 96-105.
JONES, T., PARRISH, J.K., PUNT, A.E., et al. 2017. Mass mortality of marine birds in the northeast Pacific caused by Akashiwo sanguinea. Marine Ecology Progress Series 579: 111-127.
KIDAWA, D., JAKUBAS, D., WOJCZULANIS-JAKUBAS, K., ILISZKO, L. & STEMPNIEWICZ, L. 2012. The effects of loggers on the foraging effort and chick-rearing ability of parent little auks. Polar Biology 35: 909-917.
KISSLING, M.L. & LEWIS, S.B. 2016. Nesting Activity of Kittlitz's Murrelet in the Kakagrak Hills, Northwestern Alaska. Arctic 69: 246-252.
KISSLING, M.L., LUKACS, P.M., GENDE, S.M. & LEWIS, S.B. 2015. Multi-state mark-recapture model to estimate survival of a dispersed-nesting seabird, the Kittlitiz's murrelet. Journal of Wildlife Management 79: 20-30.
KNUDSON, T.W., CORCORAN, R.M., LOVVORN, J.R., PIATT, J.F. & PYLE, W.H. 2015. Breeding ecology and behavior of Kittlitz's Murrelet in Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska: 2014 progress report. Refuge Report 2015.1. Washington, DC: US Fish and Wildlife Service.
LAWONN, M.J., PIATT, J.F., CORCORAN, R.M. & PYLE, W.H. 2011. Breeding ecology and behavior of Kittlitz's Murrelet in Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska: 2010 progress report. Washington, DC: US Fish and Wildlife Service.
LORENZ T.J., RAPHAEL, M.G., BLOXTON, T.D. & CUNNINGHAM, P.G. 2017. Low breeding propensity and wide-ranging movements by Marbled Murrelets in Washington. Journal of Wildlife Management 81: 306-321.
LUGINBUHL, J.M., MARZLUFF, J.M., BRADLEY, J.E., RAPHAEL, M.G. & VARLAND, D.E. 2001. Corvid survey techniques and the relationship between corvid abundance and nest predation. Journal of Field Ornithology 72: 556-572.
MALT, J. & LANK, D. 2007. Temporal dynamics of edge effects on nest predation risk for the Marbled Murrelet. Biological Conservation 140: 160-173.
MALT, J. & LANK, D. 2009. Marbled murrelet nest predation risk in managed forest landscapes: dynamic fragmentation effects at multiple scales. Ecological Applications 19: 1274-1284.
MANLEY, I.A. 1999. Behavior and habitat selection of Marbled Murrelets nesting on the sunshine coast. MSc thesis. Burnably, BC: Simon Fraser University.
MARZLUFF, J.M. & NEATHERLIN, E. 2006. Corvid response to human settlements and campgrounds: causes, consequences, and challenges for conservation. Biological Conservation 130: 301-314.
MCFARLANE TRANQUILLA, L. 2001. Using multiple methods to describe breeding, stress response, and disturbance of Marbled Murrelets, Brachyramphus marmoratus. MSc thesis. Burnaby, BC: Simon Fraser University.
MCFARLANE TRANQUILLA, L., PARKER, N.R., BRADLEY, R.W., et al. 2005. Breeding chronology of Marbled Murrelets varies between coastal and inshore sites in southern British Columbia. Journal of Field Ornithology 75: 357-367.
MOORE, S.K., MANTUA, N.J., HICKEY, B.M. & TRAINER, V.L. 2009. Recent trends in paralytic shellfish toxins in Puget Sound, relationships to climate, and capacity for prediction of toxic events. Harmful Algae 8: 463-477.
NASLUND, N.L. 1993. Breeding biology and seasonal activity patterns of Marbled Murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus) nesting in old-growth forests. MSc thesis. Santa Cruz, CA: University of California, Santa Cruz.
NASLUND, N.L., KULETZ, K.J., CODY, M.B., & MARKS, D.K. 1995. Tree and habitat characteristics and reproductive success at Marbled Murrelet tree nests in Alaska. Northwestern Naturalist 76: 12-25.
NELSON, S.K. 1997. Marbled Murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus). In: POOLE, A. (Ed.) The Birds of North America Online. Ithaca, NY: Cornell Lab of Ornithology. [Available online at: http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/276. Accessed March 25, 2016].
NELSON, S.K. & HAMER, T.E. 1995. Nest success and the effects of predation on Marbled Murrelets. In: RALPH, C.J., HUNT, G.L., RAPHAEL, M.G., & PIATT, J.F. (Eds.) Ecology and conservation of the Marbled Murrelet. General Technical Report. PSW-GTR-152. Albany, CA: US Department of Agriculture.
NELSON, S.K. & PECK, R.W. 1995. Behavior or Marbled Murrelets at nine nest sites in Oregon. Northwestern Naturalist 76: 43-53.
NELSON, S.K. & WILSON, A.K. 2002. Marbled murrelet habitat characteristics on state lands in western Oregon: unpublished report. Corvallis, OR: Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University.
NEWMAN, S.H., TAKEKAWA, J.Y., WHITWORTH, D.L. & BURKETT, E.E. 1999. Subcutaneous anchor attachment increases retention of radio transmitters on Xantus' and Marbled Murrelets. Journal of Field Ornithology 70: 520-534.
NORTHRUP, J.M., RIVERS, J.W., NELSON, S.K., ROBY, D.D. & BETTS, M.G. 2018. Assessing the utility of satellite transmitters for identifying nest locations and foraging behavior of the threatened Marbled Murrelet Brachyramphus marmoratus. Marine Ornithology 46: 47-55.
PAREDES, R., JONES, I.L. & BONESS, D.J. 2005. Reduced parental care, compensatory behavior, and reproductive costs of thick-billed murres equipped with data loggers. Animal Behaviour 69: 197-208.
PEERY, M.Z. & HENRY, R.W. 2010. Recovering marbled murrelets via corvid management: a population viability approach. Biological Conservation 143: 2414-2424.
PEERY, M.Z., BEISSINGER, S.R., BURKETT, E. & NEWMAN, S.H. 2006. Local survival of Marbled Murrelets in central California: roles of oceanographic processes, sex, and radiotagging. Journal of Wildlife Management 70: 78-88.
PEERY, M.Z., BEISSINGER, S.R., NEWMAN, S.H., BURKETT, E. & WILLIAMS, T.D. 2004. Applying the declining population paradigm: diagnosing causes of poor reproduction in the Marbled Murrelet. Conservation Biology 18: 1088-1098.
ROBINSON, J.L. & JONES, I.L. 2014. An experimental study measuring the effects of a tarsus-mounted tracking device on the behavior of a small pursuit-diving seabird. Behaviour 151: 1799-1826.
ROPERT-COUDERT, Y., KNOTT, N., CHIARADIA, A. & KATO, A. 2007. How do different data logger sizes and attachment positions affect the diving behavior of little penguins? Deep-Sea Research II 54: 415-423.
SCHACTER, C.R. & JONES, I.L. 2017. Effects of geolocation tracking devices on behavior, reproductive success, and return rate of Aethia auklets: an evaluation of tag mass guidelines. Wilson Journal of Ornithology 129: 459-468.
SHEARN-BOCHSLER, V., LANCE, E.W., CORCORAN, R., et al. 2014. Fatal paralytic shellfish poisoning in Kittlitz's Murrelet (Brachyramphus brevirostris) nestlings, Alaska, USA. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 54: 933-937.
SILVERGIETER, M.P. 2009. Multi-scale analyses of nest site selection and fledging success by Marbled Murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus) in British Columbia. MSc thesis. Burnaby, BC: Simon Fraser University.
SINGER, S.W., NASLUND, N.L., SINGER, S.A. & RALPH, C.J. 1991. Discovery and observations of two tree nests of the Marbled Murrelet. The Condor 93: 330-339.
SYDEMAN, W.J., BRADLEY, R.W., WARZYBOK, P., et al. 2006. Planktivorous auklet Ptychoramphus aleuticus responses to ocean climate, 2005: unusual atmospheric blocking? Geophysical Research Letters 33: L22S09.
THOMPSON, F.R. & BURHANS, D.E. 2004. Differences in predators of artificial and real songbird nests: evidence of bias in artificial nest studies. Conservation Biology 18: 373-380.
US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 1997. Recovery plan for the threatened Marbled Murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus) in Washington, Oregon, and California. Portland, OR: USFWS
WHIDDEN, S.E., WILLIAMS, C.T., BRETON, A.R. & BUCK, C.L. 2007. Effects of transmitters on the reproductive success of tufted puffins. Journal of Field Ornithology 78: 206-212.
WILK, R.J., RAPHAEL, M.G. & BLOXTON, T.D. 2016. Nesting habitat characteristics of Marbled Murrelets occurring in near-shore waters of the Olympic Peninsula, Washington. Journal of Field Ornithology 87: 162-175.
WILSON, R.P., KREYE, J.M., LUCKE, K. & URQUHART, H. 2004. Antennae on transmitters on penguins: balancing energy budgets on the high wire. Journal of Experimental Biology 207: 2649-2662.