Muurrrrrrrrrrrre!

[XemaSab]

Discuss.

[Droopy]

1. It looks meaningless to me

But who am I to judge?

[XemaSab]

2. Really? Well take THAT!

[Droopy]

3. Looks like a glorified penguin to me.

Is that a mure? It doesn't pass spell check.

[XemaSab]

4. Glorified penguin?

The hell you say!

That, my friend, is a common murre, Uria aalge.

The bird makes a sound like a long, drawn out, groaning "Murrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrre!"

That bird can represent with the best of them.

[Droopy]

6. Murre still doesn't pass spell check.

But dammit does.

[XemaSab]

7. I think the only conclusion

left to be reached is that Murres rock, and spell check sucks!

[Droopy]

8. LOL!

[EstimatedProphet]

5. The Common Murre

Uria aalge
Identification Tips:

* Length: 14 inches
* Sexes similar
* Immature like basic-plumaged adult but often with smaller bill
* Large alcid that dives for food from water surface
* Thin, pointed bill
* Small, rounded tail
* Blurry streaks make flanks appear dusky
* Thin white trailing edge to secondaries visible at rest
* Pelagic bird only coming ashore to breed

Adult alternate

* Blackish head, neck, back, wings, and tail
* White breast, belly, and undertail coverts
* Some Atlantic birds have white eyering and line extending to the rear of face
* White breast meets dark neck as blunt, rounded intrusion

Adult basic

* White foreneck
* Dark line extending from eye across cheek

Similar species:

The Thick-billed Murre is very similar to the Common Murre. In breeding plumage the Thick-billed Murre is blacker above with a white point intruding into the black throat. In winter, the Thick-billed Murre has a darker face without the dark line on the cheek. At close range in all plumages, it has a thin, white line on the bill that the Common Murre lacks and an overall heavier bill. Razorbills have heavier bills, whiter flanks, and pointed tails. Guillemots also have thin bills but are all black with white wing patches in summer and are much paler in winter with white wing patches.

I wish I had the internet when I was doing my taxonomy classes in college...