General

Thick-billed Murre: Medium-sized seabird with black upperparts, head and neck, and white underparts. A thin, white stripe extends from bill to cheek. Wings are black. Sexes are similar. Pacific birds have a slightly longer and thinner bill. Winter adult and juvenile have white throats and fore necks.

Range and Habitat

Thick-billed Murre: Breeds on the Arctic coast south to southern Alaska and Gulf of Saint Lawrence. Spends winters on coasts south to southern Alaska and New Jersey; also in Eurasia. Found along rocky coasts.

Breeding and Nesting

Thick-billed Murre: One large white, tan, blue or green egg marked with brown and black is laid on a narrow ledge; nests in dense colonies. Incubation ranges from 28 to 35 days and is carried out by both parents.

Foraging and Feeding

Thick-billed Murre: Diet consists of small fish and planktonic crustaceans. May feed far from breeding colonies; forages by diving from the surface and swimming underwater.

Vocalization

Thick-billed Murre: The main vocalization of this murre is a soft purring. On the breeding grounds, croaks, growls and moans are also made.

Similar Species

Thick-billed Murre: Common Murre has thinner, longer bill and lacks white point protruding onto throat; when breeding, also has a white eye-ring and stripe behind eyes; in winter, has paler face and thin, dark line behind eyes; at close range in all plumages, lacks the thin, white line on bill. Razorbill has heavier bill, whiter flanks, and pointed tail.