Researchers recently discovered that Common Murre chicks had hatched on the Channel Islands for the first time since 1912.

The Channel Islands of California are a chain of eight islands located in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Southern California. Five of the islands make up the Channel Islands National Park.

The Common Murre or Common Guillemot (Uria aalge) is a football-sized seabird with “tuxedo” plumage similar to penguins, but capable of flying as well as diving underwater to depths of 500 feet. It spends most of its time at sea, only coming to land to breed on rocky cliff shores or islands.

Historically, murres nested on Prince Island, a small islet off San Miguel Island within Channel Islands National Park. This colony disappeared nearly a century ago, likely a result of human disturbance and egg harvesting.

Common Murres have fast direct flight but are not very agile. They are more manoeuvrable underwater, typically diving to depths of 30–60 m (100–200 ft), and depths of up to 180 m (600 ft) have been recorded.

Common Murres breed in colonies at high densities, nesting pairs may be in bodily contact with their neighbours. They make no nest, their single egg is incubated on bare rock. Eggs hatch after ~30 days incubation. The chick is born downy and can regulate its body temperature after 10 days. They leave the nest site in around 20 days accompanied by the male parent. Chicks cannot fly when they leave the nest but are capable of diving as soon as they hit the water. The female stays at the nest site about 14 days after the chick has left.

Both male and female Common Murres moult after breeding and become flightless for 1–2 months. In southern populations they occasionally return to the nest site throughout the winter. Northern populations spend the winter farther from their colonies.