AI Insight
Researchers discovered the first marbled murrelet nest on Haida Gwaii in over three decades after traversing challenging ocean conditions and dense forest terrain in northern British Columbia. The team navigated through Dixon Entrance by boat and conducted ground searches through thick salal undergrowth among western red cedar forests to locate the nest. This represents a significant rediscovery of breeding habitat for this seabird species in the region after a 30-year gap in documented nesting activity.
Why it matters
The discovery provides critical updated information about marbled murrelet breeding distribution and habitat use in Haida Gwaii, which is essential for conservation planning and forest management decisions. Understanding current nesting locations helps protect old-growth forest habitats that these threatened seabirds depend on for reproduction.
Understand the Science
Scrambling through dense salal in the dark, weaving between the majestic western red cedars of northern Haida Gwaii, I could barely imagine where we were just days before—crossing Dixon Entrance off the coast in an open skiff, pushing head-on through ocean swells and salt spray.
Source: How we found Haida Gwaii's first marbled murrelet nest in more than 30 years