Rhinoceros Auklet

Rhinoceros Auklets are Fairly Common/Common year round.

Habitat

Nearshore waters, deeper channels, and embayments.

Behavior

Behavior on land is difficult to observe because Rhinoceros Auklets are nocturnal at their nesting colonies. On water, the birds are excellent divers, swimming underwater using their wings like flippers. They can remain submerged for up to two minutes.

Breeding

Non Breeding

Ancient Murrelet

Ancient Murrelets are Fairly Uncommon from October-March.

Habitat

Puget Sound.

Behavior

The Ancient Murrelet is more agile in flight than most alcids and will often plunge directly from the air into the water to forage. Swimming underwater, using its wings as flippers, it catches most of its food within sixty feet of the surface. Its breeding behavior is unusual among seabirds in that, at night, in the nesting colonies, males sing from tree branches and other high perches.

Marbled Murrlet

Marbled Murrlets are Uncommon year round.

Habitat

In Washington, Marbled Murrelets inhabit calm, shallow, coastal waters and bays, but breed inland, up to 45 miles from shore, in mature, wet forest.

Behavior

Often seen in pairs or small groups, Marbled Murrelets will fly low over the water with quick wing-beats when approached. They forage by swimming underwater, typically in water less than 100 feet deep, not far from shore.

Non Breeding

Breeding

Pigeon Guillemot

Pigeon Guillemots are Common in Western Washington Puget Sound year round.

Habitat

Pigeon Guillemots are found along rocky shores and inshore waters along the Pacific coast from Alaska to California. During the breeding season, they can be found on rocky islands and mainland cliffs that are protected from predators, as well as on a variety of man-made structures. In the water, they are usually close to rocky shorelines where the water is 30-90 feet deep.

Behavior

Pigeon Guillemots forage by diving and swimming underwater, propelled mostly by their wings, but, unlike most alcids, they also use their feet for propulsion. They forage by searching the bottom, diving up to 150 feet. They can also sometimes be seen on the surface of the water swimming with their heads submerged. They often sit on rocks with fish held crosswise between their bills until they swallow them.

Breeding

Not Breeding

Common Murre

Common Murre's are Common year round.

Habitat

Puget Sound.

Behavior

Outside of the breeding season, Common Murres are almost always seen in the water. On land, they sit upright. They swim and dive well, and can dive more than 150 feet below the water's surface. Their flight is labored.

Breeding

Changing into Non breeding

South Puget Sound

Merlin

Merlins are Fairly Common from August-May.

Habitat

During migration and winter, they are found in more diverse habitats, including coastal areas, estuaries, agricultural lands, cities, suburbs, small towns and bigger towns.

Behavior

Merlins capture airborne prey, employing a level sprint with abrupt turns. Rarely do they use the steep dive technique for which their larger relative, the Peregrine Falcon, is well known. They cache extra food on a branch or in an unused nest. Sometimes they fly low to the ground, surprising their prey. Merlins practice a variety of acrobatic, in-flight, courtship displays. They are cantankerous birds, seldom passing up a chance to hassle another raptor.

Taiga Merlin

Black Merlin

Prairie Merlin