Distribution and Abundance of Brachyramphus Murrelets and Other Marine Species From Icy Bay to Leconte Bay, Southeast Alaska, 2002-2004. Final Report

摘要

The Kittlitz's murrelet (Brachyramphus brevirostris) is one of the rarest and least understood seabirds in the world. Distribution of this species seems to be primarily restricted to tidewater glaciers, glaciated fjords or outflows of glacial streams. Based on results of at-sea surveys in four core population areas, Kittlitz's murrelets have declined up to 84% over the last few decades. The primary objective of our study was to describe the current distribution and abundance of Kittlitz's murrelets in southeast Alaska from Icy Bay to LeConte Bay, including many previously unsurveyed areas. Additionally, we resurveyed an area along the Malaspina Forelands that was previously surveyed in 1992 to estimate trend of Kittlitz's murrelets in this area.