Marbled Murrelet Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesMarbled Murrelet
Breeding adult
Small, plump seabird with a short bill and tail and narrow wings. Breeding birds appear brown overall.
© Joachim Bertrands / Macaulay LibraryBritish Columbia, April 23, 2020Breeding adult
Small, plump seabird with a short bill and tail and narrow wings. Breeding birds appear brown overall.
© Brian Sullivan / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, May 18, 2012Nonbreeding adult/immature
Nonbreeding birds are dark blackish gray above and white below with a white collar around the neck. When resting on the water, the tail is often held up and out of the water.
© Ryan Shaw / Macaulay LibraryWashington, September 17, 2017Nonbreeding adult/immature
Often seen in small groups during the nonbreeding season. From a distance note white collar on a dark and white seabird.
© Eric Ellingson / Macaulay LibraryWashington, March 20, 2020Nonbreeding adult/immature
Plump, short-tailed seabird with a short bill. Note white collar and black eye patch.
© Steven Mlodinow / Macaulay LibraryWashington, October 27, 2011Similar SpeciesKittlitz's Murrelet
Breeding
Breeding Kittlitz's Murrelets have shorter bills, pale undertail coverts, and are lighter brown overall than Marbled Murrelets.
© Tom Johnson / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, June 11, 2017Similar SpeciesKittlitz's Murrelet
Nonbreeding
Nonbreeding Kittlitz's Murrelets have white extending all the way around the face; Marbled Murrelets have dark caps that cover the eyes.
© Tom Johnson / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, June 11, 2017Similar SpeciesLong-billed Murrelet
Nonbreeding
Nonbreeding Long-billed Murrelets have dark sides of the neck, while nonbreeding Marbled Murrelets have a pale collar wrapping almost all the way around the neck.
© Cheng Qian / Macaulay LibraryShandong, January 16, 2016Similar SpeciesLong-billed Murrelet
Breeding
Breeding Long-billed Murrelets have a pale throat, unlike the dark throat of breeding Marbled Murrelets.
© Kerry Ross / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, August 07, 2008Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
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Species in This Family
Auks, Murres, and Puffins(Order: Charadriiformes, Family: Alcidae)
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