Auks · Shorebirds
Thick-billed Murre
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Uria lomvia
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How to recognize it
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40–48 cm, like a medium gull
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Black upperparts, white underparts
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Thick short bill with white gape stripe
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Low on water; in flight looks short-winged
About the species
Adults are black above and white below, with a dark head and back that turn a little paler on the face in winter. The bill is long, thick, and marked by a white stripe, which gives it a blunt look beside the rest of the head.
It spends much of its life at sea, flying fast and straight with quick wingbeats, then plunging underwater to catch prey. In breeding colonies it gives harsh, cackling calls and gathers in dense groups on narrow cliff ledges, where pairs lay a single egg on bare rock and both parents take turns caring for the chick.
It feeds on small fish, krill, mollusks, and other sea life, catching food while diving and swallowing it underwater. It breeds on cliffs and rocky seabird colonies across the Arctic and subarctic, and in winter shifts south just enough to stay away from ice.
Where to find
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Along winter waterfronts, canal mouths, and stone bridges — watch for a dark-and-white seabird resting low on the water or vanishing in a quick dive near the ice edge.
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By rocky embankments, piers, and sea walls — breeding colonies pack tight onto narrow ledges, with noisy calls bouncing off the stone.
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After storms on the shoreline — a black-and-white body on sand or among seaweed can be a washed-up murre.
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In ports and open water on cold days — look for loose groups that lift off the surface with fast, shallow wingbeats.
You might also see
Sources
- eBird — Uria lomvia Sightings map and full description on eBird
- Wikipedia — Thick-billed murre Encyclopedia article