Recovery of the Common Murre (Uria aalge)
in Central California
Gerard J. McChesney*, Harry R. Carter, Michael W.
Parker, Richard T. Golightly, Phillip J. Capitolo,
Lisa E. Eigner, Sandra J. Rhoades, and Stephen W. Kress
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
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Apex Houston Trustee Council
Command Trustee Council
Luckenbach Trustee Council
California Department of Fish and Game
NOAA - Gulf of the Farallones National Marine
Sanctuary
Point Reyes National Seashore
California Coastal National Monument
U.S. Geological Survey - WERC
Common Murre
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Marine, diving birds:
feed on small fish, krill,
squid;
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Colonial;
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Population in CA has
changed dramatically
since 19th century.
South Farallon Islands
First Decline: 1848-1959
Common Murre population size, South
Farallon Islands, 1850-1959. Data from
Ainley & Lewis (1974), Carter et al.
(2001).
1960-1982: Partial Recovery
 In 1969, the South Farallon Islands were
protected in the Farallon National Wildlife
Refuge.
 Murre colony on Farallones increased to
103,000 breeding birds by 1982.
 Central California population estimated
200,000 breeding birds in 1979-1982.
1983-1995: Second decline
Common Murres caught in a gill net.
Oiled Common Murre on a California
beach.
DEVIL’S SLIDE ROCK
 Between 1982-1986, a colony of nearly 3,000
murres was extirpated.
1996-2010: Path to recovery
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In 1996, murre colony restoration began with
settlement funds from the Apex Houston oil spill.
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Set gill net fishery in central California
discontinued – murre mortality reduced.
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Productive ocean and foraging conditions.
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Murre population responded with increases.
COMMON MURRE RESTORATION
DEVIL’S SLIDE ROCK
600
Territorial sites
Breeding sites
500
117
86
400
300
51
200
84
361
45
43
88
113
123
110
23
100
5
6
9
9
10
13
16
70
100
190
394
164
0
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
“Social attraction” restoration plot.
Murre Population Trends: 1979-2006
Central California Common Murre
Population
Colony
Point Reyes
Point Resistance
Current Population
Estimate (No. Breeding
Birds)
60,000
7,500
Millers Point Rocks
100
Double Point Rocks
15,000
Bird Island
Devil’s Slide Rk & Mainland
50
850
North Farallon Islands
100,000
South Farallon Islands
200,000
Castle-Hurricane
TOTAL
5,500
374,000
Threats to Continued Recovery
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Human disturbance
Disturbance or predation
from pelicans, ravens
Oil spills
Climate change
Oil spill settlement funds
are now used for efforts to
reduce human disturbance.
Summary

Common Murres have undergone dramatic population
changes since the mid-19th century, mainly due to humancaused factors.
 Numbers recently have recovered to highest levels since
the early 20th century.
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Threats such as future oil spills, human disturbance, avian
disturbance and predation, and climate change could hinder
continued recovery.