Synthliboramphus craveri (Salvadori, 1866)

Species Classification

Craveri's murrelet (Synthliboramphus craveri) is a small black and white auk, with a small head and a thin, sharp bill.

It is closely related to Scripps's murrelet, and the two species share the distinction of being the most southerly living of all auk species.

Plumage Distinguishing Traits

Several visible traits distinguish Craveri's murrelet from Scripps's murrelet: Craveri's has a partial neck collar, while Scripps's has none; Craveri's has dusky underwings, while Scripps's has white underwings; and the black face mask of Craveri's dips slightly further down the face than that of Scripps's.

Call Distinction

The two species can also be told apart by their calls.

Perching Behavior

When sitting on water, Craveri's murrelet tends to hold its tail pointed upward, a behavior that Scripps's murrelet does not exhibit.