Little Auk vs Thick-billed Murre

Little Auk

Alle alle

Medium181 gMarine

This is the only Atlantic auk of its size, half the size of the Atlantic puffin, at 19–21 cm (7.5–8.3 in) in length, with a 34–38 cm (13–15 in) wingspan. The adult weight ranges from 130–200 g (4.6–7.1 oz). A. a. polaris is marginally larger than the nominate subspecies. In breeding plumage, the head, neck, back, and wings are black, with a white trailing edge to the secondary feathers, and white fringes on the scapular feathers, and pure white underparts. The bill is short and stubby. They have a small rounded black tail. The lower face and fore neck become white in winter plumage.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recorded by steve · Call · Svalbard, Norway · CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: no rights reserved · CC0

Thick-billed Murre

Uria lomvia

Large964 gMarine

Since the extinction of the great auk in the mid-19th century, the murres are the largest living members of the Alcidae. The thick-billed murre and the closely related common guillemot (or common murre, U. aalge) are similarly sized, but the thick-billed still bests the other species in both average and maximum size. The thick-billed murre measures 40–48 cm (16–19 in) in total length, spans 64–81 cm (25–32 in) across the wings and weighs 736–1,481 g (26.0–52.2 oz). The Pacific race (U. l. arra) is larger than the Atlantic race, especially in bill dimensions.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recorded by steve · Call · Svalbard, Norway · CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Sowls, Art - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Public domain

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Little Auk and Thick-billed Murre.