Guadalupe Murrelet
Synthliboramphus hypoleucus
Small black-and-white diving seabird, unlikely to be seen from land. Usually found as singles or pairs, well offshore, and not usually associating with other seabirds. Like most small alcids, dives when alarmed or takes off and flies straight away from the boat. Very similar to Scripps’s Murrelet (the two were once lumped as Xantus’s Murrelet), but white in face more extensive, such that eye stands out in a white area rather than merging into the black cap. Underwings bright white overall, like Scripps’s but unlike dusky underwings of Craveri’s Murrelet.
Identification
The Guadalupe murrelet (Synthliboramphus hypoleucus) or Xantus's murrelet is a small seabird found in the California Current system in the Pacific Ocean. This auk breeds on islands off California and Mexico. It is threatened by predators introduced to its breeding colonies and by oil spills. This species together with the Scripps's murrelet were considered conspecific and were classified under S. hypoleucus; known collectively as Xantus's murrelet until 2012. Enough evidence was collected to consider both species distinct based on a lack of evidence of interbreeding where the two species nest together on the San Benito Islands, differences in facial pattern and bill shape, vocalizations and genetics.
Taxonomy
Genus: Synthliboramphus; Family: Alcidae; Order: Charadriiformes.
- Scientific name
- Synthliboramphus hypoleucus
- Authority
- (Xántus, J, 1860)
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Family
- Alcidae
- Genus
- Synthliboramphus
Range and habitat
Breeding range: MA : ec North Pacific coast: is. Guadalupe and San Benito (w of c Baja California, nw Mexico). Non-breeding range: n to coastal n California.
- Breeding range
- MA : ec North Pacific coast: is. Guadalupe and San Benito (w of c Baja California, nw Mexico)
- Non-breeding range
- n to coastal n California
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: declining.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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