South of Alaska, the marbled murrelet is considered an old growth dependent species.
Additional threats are oil spills and possibly gill net fishing.
The marbled murrelet is a small seabird found in coastal areas of the eastern Pacific Ocean from Alaska to central California. It spends the majority of its time at sea, where it feeds on small ocean fish such as sand lance and herring. Unlike other members of the family Alcidae, the marbled murrelet nests on branches of old growth trees. The marbled murrelet lives at sea outside the breeding season. It is a common resident on salt water throughout coastal B.C., although densities vary widely within and between years.