Loons, Waterfowl and Seabirds

Common murre (Uria aalge )

Votes: 21

Photo illustration: Canadian Geographic; Photo: Dick Daniels / Wikicommons

This medium-sized seabird has dark-brown upperparts with white underparts, a long, black bill and a short tail. Preferring rocky coasts, it can be found near Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic Ocean shores.

IDENTIFICATION (Both Sexes)
Weight	0.8-1.13 kg
Length	38-43 cm
Wingspan	64-71 cm

Range map courtesy iBird for Windows
Click to enlarge

Vote for the Common murre for Canada’s National Bird

Essays

Comments and essays appear in the language in which they were submitted

Very Beautiful bird.

— Submitted on Wednesday, August 31, 2016 by Keith Sturwold (Prince George, BC)

Common murres have the most interesting family lives!

— Submitted on Thursday, January 29, 2015 by Anne Storey (St. John's, NL)

The common murre can be found in all our seas, truly connecting Canada from sea to sea to sea. This gregarious and social bird lives a long life, returning to its natal cliff home to rear its own offspring each summer. Common murres are excellent indicators of environmental health, with their own productivity sensitively tracking ocean productivity.

— Submitted on Sunday, January 25, 2015 by BriAnne Addison (Torquay Victoria Australia, formerly Vancouver, BC)

The guillemot is a neat little bird that looks like a cross between a seagull and a penguin. The black guillemot has bright red feet which is the same colour as our maple leaf.

— Submitted on Saturday, January 24, 2015 by Janice Bradley-Guillemot (Carp, ON)

Just look at my familly name, I could not vote for any other birds, the name of the common murre is the guillemot......

— Submitted on Friday, January 23, 2015 by David Guillemot (Carp, ON)

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