Common Murre (also known as the Thin-billed Murre or Common Guillemot)

The Common Murre is a large, dark-backed alcid with a pointed bill, dark brown head, and crisp white underparts. Often called the penguin of the North due to its upright posture, it spends most of its life at sea, coming ashore only to breed on crowded cliff ledges.

Rich dark brown to blackish tip with a sharp contrasting white subterminal area and a greyish-brown shaft transitioning to white at the base

Pennaceous upper vane with tightly interlocked barbs transitioning into a loose, plumulaceous, and fluffy down-like structure near the base

Smooth and glossy at the pennaceous tip, becoming exceptionally soft and silky toward the fluffy base

Distinctive dark brown/black tip sharply contrasting with a white edge and fluffy grey-white base, characteristic of marine diving bird contour feathers

Marine pelagic environments, rocky cliffs, and coastal islands during the breeding season

Circumpolar distribution across sub-arctic and boreal waters of the North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans

Acts as an important marine top predator consuming forage fish and invertebrates, serving as a vital ecological indicator for ocean health

Thick-billed Murre (Uria lomvia), Razorbill (Alca torda), and Dovekie (Alle alle), distinguished by subtle size variations and precise color gradients

Common Murres lay uniquely pear-shaped (pyriform) eggs which roll in a tight circle rather than falling off narrow cliff ledges when disturbed

Good overall condition with an intact rachis, clean barbs, and no visible parasitic damage or heavy wear