It's the same to them whether one eagle flies by the nesting area six times or six eagles fly by once each. Murres nest in groups and the larger the group, the safer the individual. A predator can only grab one murre at a time, leaving the others shaken but safe. But cliff tops are large and more accessible than the crevices, making them eagle magnets. Last year, we actually witnessed an adult eagle land at Petcol and make a meal of three hapless chicks.
Raptors dining on adult murres is one reason the population is declining.
However, it's not the major one. Lots of Reproduction Nesting birds scared away by raptors offer an opportunity for egg-hungry gulls and crows. Once murres start reproducing at age 5 or 6, a pair will produce an egg every year for the next 25-plus years. So when faced with a threat such as an eagle, murres elect to save themselves rather than defend their egg or chick. Once egg laying begins, the situation becomes more complicated.