Similar Species
Common Murre
"Bridled" form
Common Murres have a longer and thinner bill than Thick-billed Murres. In breeding plumage the white of the breast meets the dark throat in a shallow inverted "U" in Common, but in a sharp inverted "V" in Thick-billed Murres.
© Brian Sullivan | Macaulay LibraryNewfoundland and Labrador, May 30, 2010Similar Species
Common Murre
Nonbreeding
Nonbreeding Common Murres have a whiter face with a black line descending from the eye whereas Thick-billed Murres have a darker face without eyelines.
© Oscar Johnson | Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, December 29, 2014Similar Species
Common Murre
Breeding "Bridled" form
Common Murres have a longer and thinner bill than Thick-billed Murres.
© Ian Davies | Macaulay LibraryFinnmark, June 14, 2015Similar Species
Razorbill
Breeding
Razorbills are more robust and have a deeper and blunter bill than Thick-billed Murres.
© Christoph Moning | Macaulay LibraryFinnmark, April 08, 2011Similar Species
Razorbill
Nonbreeding
Razorbills have a deeper and blunter bill than Thick-billed Murres. Nonbreeding Razorbills have white behind the eye whereas nonbreeding Thick-billed Murres have black behind the eye.
© Ryan Schain | Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, December 16, 2011Main Species
Thick-billed Murre
Nonbreeding adult/immature
Large and stocky black-and-white seabird with a thick bill. Nonbreeding birds are dark above and white below with a white throat and lower face.
© Lucas Bobay | Macaulay LibraryNorth Carolina, January 17, 2015Nonbreeding adult/immature
Stocky seabird with a thick bill and short rounded tail. Nonbreeding birds have white on the throat and the lower part of the face.
© Ryan Schain | Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, December 16, 2011Breeding
Dives from the surface while foraging for schooling fish such as cod and smelt. Also feeds on bottom-dwelling fish, squid, amphipods, and shrimp.
© DAVID BROWN | Macaulay LibraryNunavut, June 08, 2005Breeding adult
Stocky seabird that typically flies just above surface.
© Brian Sullivan | Macaulay LibraryAlaska, August 30, 2004Breeding adult
Nests along coastal cliffs in colonies. Black above and white below with a thin white line extending from the base of the bill. Note silver wing linings on underwings.
© Sonja Ross | Macaulay LibraryCukotskij avtonomnyj okrug, August 18, 2015