Similar Species
Marbled 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 Species
Kittlitz'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 Species
Scripps'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 Species
Craveri'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, 2014Main Species
Ancient Murrelet
Nonbreeding 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.
© Richard MacIntosh | Macaulay LibraryAlaska, April 17, 2017Breeding adult
Slender seabird that flies on stiff, narrow wings. Underwings are bright white.
© Ian Davies | Macaulay LibraryAlaska, July 14, 2012Nonbreeding 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, 2016Breeding adult
Small seabird. Pale bill and white sides of neck help separate it from similar species.
© Enric Fernandez | Macaulay LibraryAlaska, May 20, 2017