A CAPTURE TECHNIQUE FOR MARBLED MURRELETS IN COASTAL INLETS

Capturing Marbled Murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus) will facilitate demographic and telemetry studies needed to guide conservation and ma nagement programs. During the breeding season, an array of three mist nets floating on light rafts was used to catch 223 murrelets as they f lew through narrow coastal channels. There was only one capture mortal ity. The mean capture times were 5 min before sunrise and 22 min after sunset. The mean capture rate was 2.5 birds/h (SE = 0.2) with a high of 8.8 birds/h on the evening of 25 Jun. 1994 in Theodosia Inlet, Brit ish Columbia.