Overview:  Marbled murrelet populations range along the Pacific coast from southern Alaska to central California. Within Washington, populations have historically inhabited the entire coast and sound regions, as this species is dependent upon both marine and forested ecosystems for their habitat.  In particular, marbled murrelets use old-growth forests for nesting and also rely on near-shore marine habitats for feeding and breeding resources.  This species was primarily listed mainly due to the loss and fragmentation of old-growth forest nesting habitat, coast to coast.  Due to these losses, marbled murrelet populations are accordingly in a sever decline.  According to the USFWS (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) 1997 recovery plan, population projections tell us that marbled murrelet numbers are declining at a rate of at least 4 to 7 percent per year.  Programs involving habitat restoration seem to be the only hope for a recovery of this species.  Despite all of this, it was estimated in 1996 by the USFWS that 1,800 birds were still in existence. This is an extreme decline from a species that was once considered to be "common" and "abundant".  For more information on this species check out the North Cascade's info page @ http://www.nps.gov/noca/treas4-8.htm.  For an excellent summary of marbled murrelet ecology and the history of its listing process, click on this link: http://www.r1.fws.gov/sfbnwr/murrelet.html.  You can also view the USFWS Recovery Plan for this species in Oregon, Washington and California at http://endangered.fws.gov/recovery/recplans/index.htm.

Distribution:
Currently, marbled murrelets are only found in limited numbers during breeding season in the Puget Sound and the northern part of the outer coast of Washington.  The southern portion of the coast still provides sparse nesting habitat.  Historically, this species inhabited most of the coastal regions of Washington.