Old growth forests bordering the north Pacific are what it takes.  Until then the marbeled murrelet will never again thrive Oregon, California, Washington, and British Columbia.  

While the nesting habits of most North American birds have been long established, nobody could figure out the marbeled murrelet until the 1980s.   To date only six nests have ever been found.

And it turns out to be a bellwether bird, the proverbial canary in the coal mine.  Marbeled Murrelets nest inland and, similar to the spotted owl, require old growth forests at least 150 years old.  Trees must be tall and moss covered.  A single egg is laid and pairs take turns incubating it.  Twenty-four hours for him and then 24 hours for her.  Monogamy with cooperation.  Maybe I’m sentimental, but this seems like omething worth preserving in all its forms.

The Marbeled Murrelet should thrive be on the same list as the spotted owl.  in Oregon.  Let’s get it there bring it back.

UPDATE:    I was wrong.  Turns out the Marbled Murrelet is fighting to stay on the endangered species list, not get on it.  The week we left, Rob Manning reported on OPB that a DC Appeals Court had thrown out a timber industry attempt to overturn a decision to retain the bird on the list.