Species

Justification
This species qualifies as Near Threatened because it is likely to be undergoing a moderately rapid population reduction owing to logging of the old-growth forests where it nests. Future oil exploration could exacerbate these declines.

Taxonomic source(s)
AERC TAC. 2003. AERC TAC Checklist of bird taxa occurring in Western Palearctic region, 15th Draft. Available at: http://www.aerc.eu/DOCS/Bird_taxa_of _the_WP15.xls.
AOU. 1998. Check-list of North American birds. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C.

Taxonomic note
Brachyramphus marmoratus (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993) has been split into B. marmoratus and B. perdix following AOU (1998).

Distribution and population
Brachyramphus perdix breeds in Japan through the Sea of Okhotsk to the Kamchatka peninsula, Russia. It was split from Marbled Murrelet B. marmoratus (which breeds in California to the Aleutian Islands) in 1996 (Friesen et al. 1996). The population is estimated to number in the tens of thousands (Konyukhov and Kitaysky 1995). In Japan, it is rare in eastern Hokkaido, but commoner on the Sea of Okhotsk coast, especially near the Shiretoko peninsula. There are few areas in Russia where the species is considered common: the lower Amur River area, particularly between Baydukov Island and Aleksandra Bay; near Magadan along the Khmitievsky Peninsula, Tauyskaya Bay, and the Koni Peninsula; and on the Kamchatka peninsula. It appears to be uncommon in the Primorye region and on Sakhalin island (where its distribution is patchy), and it is rare on the northern coast of the Sea of Okhotsk.

Population justification
The global population size has not been accurately quantified, however it is said to number in the 'tens of thousands (Konyukhov & Kitaysky 1995). The population in Russia has been estimated at < 100,000 breeding pairs and < 1,000 individuals on migration (Brazil 2009).

Trend justification
There are no data, however logging is likely to be driving a moderately rapid decline in this species.

Ecology
It breeds in old-growth coniferous forests within 100 km of the coast, wintering in sheltered coastal waters.

Threats
Like Marbled Murrelet, this species is under increasing threat from the logging of old growth forests which has accelerated in recent years, particularly on Sakhalin island and the Kamchatka peninsula. Intensive development of the oil industry has occurred on the Okhotsk and Bering Sea shelves, and this constitutes a further potential threat.

Conservation actions underway
None is known.

Conservation actions proposed
Conduct surveys to improve knowledge of the breeding and wintering grounds. Regularly monitor the population at important sites on both the breeding and wintering grounds. Ensure sufficient safeguards are put in place and inforced to prevent pollution in important parts of the at sea range. Protect large areas of unlogged forest in important breeding areas.

References
Sibley, C. G.; Monroe, B. L. 1990. Distribution and taxonomy of birds of the world. Yale University Press, New Haven, USA.

Sibley, C. G.; Monroe, B. L. 1993. A supplement to 'Distribution and taxonomy of birds of the world'. Yale University Press, New Haven, USA.

Konyukhov, N. B.; Kitaysky, A. S. 1995. The Asian race of the Marbled Murrelet. In: Ralph, C.J.; Hunt, G.L.; Raphael, M.G.; Piatt, J.F. (ed.), Ecology and conservation of the Marbled Murrelet, pp. 23-29. Pacific Southwest Research Station, Albany, California.

Friesen, V. L.; Piatt, J. F.; Baker, A. J. 1996. Evidence from allozymes and cytochrome-b sequences for a new species of alcid, the Long-billed Murrelet (Brachyramphus perdix). Condor 98: 681-690.

AOU. 1998. Check-list of North American birds. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C.

Text account compilers
Benstead, P., Khwaja, N., Mahood, S., Taylor, J.

IUCN Red List evaluators
Butchart, S., Symes, A.

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2013) Species factsheet: Brachyramphus perdix. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 20/06/2013. Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2013) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 20/06/2013.

This information is based upon, and updates, the information published in BirdLife International (2000) Threatened birds of the world. Barcelona and Cambridge, UK: Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, BirdLife International (2004) Threatened birds of the world 2004 CD-ROM and BirdLife International (2008) Threatened birds of the world 2008 CD-ROM. These sources provide the information for species accounts for the birds on the IUCN Red List.

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Additional resources for this species