noun
- Plural of murrelet; small seabirds of the auk family, found in northern oceans and characterized by short wings and diving ability.
Usage: ornithology; always plural in this form
Examples
- Murrelets are small diving birds commonly seen along the Pacific coast.
- The ancient murrelets nest in burrows on remote islands.
- Researchers tracked murrelets as they migrated south for winter.
- Several species of murrelets are threatened by climate change and ocean acidification.
- Birdwatchers spotted a group of murrelets diving for fish near the rocky shore.