Photo: AWeith / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Shorebirds

Thick-billed Murre

Uria lomvia

Thick-billed Murre (Uria lomvia) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of North America.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 14 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Canada Birds of the United Kingdom Birds of Japan Birds of the Netherlands Birds of Portugal Birds of the United States Birds of British Columbia Birds of New Brunswick Birds of Newfoundland and Labrador Birds of Nova Scotia

By family

Auks, Murres & Puffins of Canada Auks, Murres & Puffins of Japan Auks, Murres & Puffins of the United States Auks, Murres & Puffins of British Columbia

See what's near you right now

The Thick-billed Murre (Uria lomvia) is a member of the Alcidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia and North America. Adults weigh 964 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Charadriiformes
Family Alcidae Auks
Genus Uria
Species lomvia

Where it lives

Holarctic, high and low Arctic (locally temperate) coasts

Quick facts

Weight: 964 g
Diet: Aquatic hunters
Family: Alcidae
Order: Charadriiformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Least Concern

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Thick-billed Murre hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Behaviour

A bird of open sea and coastal waters, it swims and feeds in and around water.

Migration

The Thick-billed Murre is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

The Thick-billed Murre (Uria lomvia) is a species of bird in the Alcidae family, part of the order Charadriiformes. It occurs naturally across Europe & Northern Asia and North America. Its distribution covers NA, PAL Holarctic, high and low Arctic (locally temperate) coasts.

It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 964 g, with a wing length of about 20.7 cm and a tail of around 4.4 cm.

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

The species has a mapped global range of roughly 2.2 million km².

Songs & calls

Thick-billed Murre — Call

Recorded by Barry Edmonston Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Thick-billed Murre?

The Thick-billed Murre is a very large bird that weighs around 964 g.

Where does the Thick-billed Murre live?

The Thick-billed Murre is found across Europe & Northern Asia and North America with a range covering NA, PAL Holarctic, high and low Arctic (locally temperate) coasts, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Thick-billed Murre belong to?

The Thick-billed Murre (Uria lomvia) belongs to the Alcidae family, in the order Charadriiformes.

What does the Thick-billed Murre eat?

The Thick-billed Murre hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Does the Thick-billed Murre migrate?

The Thick-billed Murre is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

Is the Thick-billed Murre endangered?

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

What sound does the Thick-billed Murre make?

1 real field recording of the Thick-billed Murre — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Thick-billed Murre's range?

The Thick-billed Murre has a mapped global range of about 2.2 million km².