About Brachyramphus brevirostris (Vigors, 1829)
Kittlitz's murrelet, scientifically named Brachyramphus brevirostris (Vigors, 1829), is a small, compact auk, similar in shape to the marbled murrelet. It measures 25 cm (9.8 in) in length and has tiny legs. During the breeding season, it has cryptic, greyish-brown plumage that matches the bare ground near snowfields where it breeds. In winter, it develops the black and white plumage common to many seabirds. Its bill is smaller than the bill of the marbled murrelet. Kittlitz's murrelet mostly lives and breeds in coastal areas of Alaska. This includes mainland areas around Prince William Sound and the Kenai Peninsula, scattered locations further up Alaska's west coast, and areas along the Aleutian Islands. It also nests in Siberia, and may nest on Wrangel Island.
