Kittlitz's Murrelet
Brachyramphus brevirostris
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderCharadriiformes (Caradriformes)
- FamilyAlcidae (Auks, Murres, and Puffins)
- GenusBrachyramphus (Brachyramphus Murrelets)
- SpeciesBrachyramphus brevirostris (Kittlitz's Murrelet)
Kittlitz's murrelet (Brachyramphus brevirostris) is a small alcid found in the waters off Alaska and Eastern Siberia. This near threatened species is, like the closely related marbled murrelet, unusual for seabirds in not being colonial, nesting instead in isolated locations on mountain tops, where the nests were known to Native Americans for many years before skeptical ornithologists described and photographed them. It is a poorly known and little studied species, although concern over its status and that of the closely related marbled murrelet has led to a recent increase in research. The common name of this species commemorates the German zoologist Heinrich von Kittlitz, who first collected this species. Wikipedia →
50–60% of wildlife watchers report a Kittlitz's Murrelet sighting in Kenai Fjords National Park, based on 427 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Kenai Fjords National Park
Marbled Murrelet
Brachyramphus marmoratus
Horned Puffin
Fratercula corniculata
Common Murre
Uria aalge
Tufted Puffin
Fratercula cirrhata
Rhinoceros Auklet
Cerorhinca monocerata
Pigeon Guillemot
Cepphus columba
Parakeet Auklet
Aethia psittacula
Ancient Murrelet
Synthliboramphus antiquus
Thick-billed Murre
Uria lomvia
Cassin's Auklet
Ptychoramphus aleuticus
Black-legged Kittiwake
Rissa tridactyla
Glaucous-winged Gull
Larus glaucescens
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kenai Fjords National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Wrangell-St. Elias National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Katmai National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Kittlitz's Murrelet in Kenai Fjords National Park?
About 58% of wildlife watchers report a Kittlitz's Murrelet sighting in Kenai Fjords National Park, based on 427 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Kittlitz's Murrelet in Kenai Fjords National Park?
June has the highest sighting rate for Kittlitz's Murrelet in Kenai Fjords National Park in our monthly data.