Ancient Murrelet Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesAncient Murrelet
Breeding adult
Small and slightly more slender seabird. Breeding birds have white, fluffy-looking eyebrows.
© Hal and Kirsten Snyder / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, June 04, 2017Nonbreeding adult/immature
Small and slightly more slender than similar species with a pale bill. Nonbreeding birds have a grayish throat, white breast, and a bit of white on the side of the neck.
© Ryan Shaw / Macaulay LibraryWashington, August 12, 2016Breeding adult
Small and slightly more slender seabird. Breeding birds have white, fluffy-looking eyebrows.
© Eric Ellingson / Macaulay LibraryWashington, November 10, 2020Breeding adult
Slender seabird that flies on stiff, narrow wings. Underwings are bright white.
© Enric Fernandez / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, May 20, 2017Nonbreeding adult/immature
Nonbreeding birds have a grayish throat, white breast, and a bit of white on the side of the neck.
© Masami Yoshimura / Macaulay LibraryHyogo, July 30, 2016Juvenile
Juveniles have a gray back with gray-and-white scalloping on its sides. Note pale bill.
© Kim Beardmore / Macaulay LibraryBritish Columbia, August 24, 2016Breeding adult
Flies with stiff wingbeats, banking side to side. Note white underwings.
© David M. Bell / Macaulay LibraryBritish Columbia, December 17, 2016Similar SpeciesMarbled Murrelet
Nonbreeding
Nonbreeding Marbled Murrelets have a white patch on the wing and on the flank; Ancient Murrelets are uniform gray on the back.
© Ryan O'Donnell / Macaulay LibraryWashington, December 28, 2016Similar SpeciesKittlitz's Murrelet
Nonbreeding
Nonbreeding Kittlitz's Murrelets have an extensively white face and white patches on the wing and flank; Ancient Murrelets have a dark face and are uniform gray on the back.
© Tom Johnson / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, June 11, 2017Similar SpeciesScripps's Murrelet
Adult/immature
Scripps's Murrelets are uniformly dark above and white below, without the black throat, white sides of neck, and gray back of Ancient Murrelet.
© Brian Sullivan / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, May 31, 2009Similar SpeciesCraveri's Murrelet
Adult/immature
Craveri's Murrelets are uniformly dark above and white below, without the black throat, white sides of neck, and gray back of Ancient Murrelet.
© Matthew Grube / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, September 20, 2014Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
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Species in This Family
Auks, Murres, and Puffins(Order: Charadriiformes, Family: Alcidae)
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