Thick-billed Murre Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesThick-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, 2005Not all videos have sound
Breeding 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 LibraryChukotka Autonomous Okrug, August 18, 2015Similar SpeciesCommon 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 SpeciesCommon 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 SpeciesCommon Murre
Breeding "Bridled" form
Common Murres have a longer and thinner bill than Thick-billed Murres.
© Ian Davies / Macaulay LibraryFinnmark, June 14, 2015Similar SpeciesRazorbill
Breeding
Razorbills are more robust and have a deeper and blunter bill than Thick-billed Murres.
© Christoph Moning / Macaulay LibraryFinnmark, April 08, 2011Similar SpeciesRazorbill
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, 2011Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
Compare with Similar Species
Click on an image to compare
Species in This Family
Auks, Murres, and Puffins(Order: Charadriiformes, Family: Alcidae)
Don't miss a thing! Join our email list
The Cornell Lab will send you updates about birds,
birding, and opportunities to help bird conservation.