A Night-Lighting Technique for At-Sea Capture of Xantus' Murrelets

We captured 575 Xantus' Murrelets (Synthliboramphus hypoleucus) with spotlights and dip nets at 3 islands in the Southern California Channel Islands during April and May of 1995-1997. Working at night (2100-0500 h), 3-person teams in inflatable boats located murrelets with a spotlight and captured them in dip nets from the waters near known breeding colonies at Santa Barbara, Anacapa, and San Clemente Islands. Our average capture rate was 4.7 murrelets hr'1, but we captured up to 12.3 murrelets hr. We recaptured 34 murrelets or 6% of the capture total. We recommend this simple, inexpensive, safe and effective night-lighting capture technique for Xantus' Murrelets and other seabirds. Received 7 March 1997, accepted 26 May 1997, final version received 26 September 1997.