Atlantic Puffin vs Thick-billed Murre
Fratercula arctica compared with Uria lomvia
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Atlantic Puffin | Thick-billed Murre |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Fratercula arctica | Uria lomvia |
| Order | Charadriiformes | Charadriiformes |
| Family | Alcidae | Alcidae |
| Conservation Status | Vulnerable | Least Concern |
| Length | 30.0 cm (11.8 in) | — |
| Wingspan | 56.0 cm (22.0 in) | 41.4 cm (16.3 in) |
| Weight | 380.0 g (13.40 oz) | 945.75 g (33.36 oz) |
| Diet | Small fish, especially sand eels, herring, and capelin. Dives underwater using wings for propulsion, catching … | -- |
| Clutch Size | 1 | 1 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Atlantic Puffin
Breeds on grassy cliff tops and offshore islands. Spends winter entirely at sea in the North Atlantic.
Song & Call Comparison
Atlantic Puffin
At burrow gives a low, moaning 'arr-arr-arr' growl. Silent at sea. At breeding colonies produces a series of grunting croaks. Chicks give soft peeping calls.
Thick-billed Murre
Geographic Range & Migration
Atlantic Puffin
North Atlantic from eastern Canada and northeastern United States to Iceland, Norway, and northwest Russia.
Thick-billed Murre
Conservation Status
Atlantic Puffin
Thick-billed Murre
How to Tell Them Apart
Atlantic Puffin
Black upperparts and white underparts with a distinctive white face. In breeding season, the face brightens and colourful bill plates develop. Winter plumage is duller with a darker face.
Large, laterally compressed, triangular bill — bright orange, blue, and yellow in breeding season
Thick-billed Murre
About These Birds
Atlantic Puffin
The Atlantic puffin, often called the clown of the sea, is a charismatic seabird that nests in burrows on northern sea cliffs. Puffins can carry up to a dozen fish crosswise in their beaks at once thanks to backward-facing spines on their palate. Climate change and overfishing are threatening their food supply, leading to population declines.
Thick-billed Murre
Thick-billed Murre (Brünnich's Guillemot), 39–43 cm, breeds in enormous cliff colonies across the Arctic from Newfoundland to Siberia. Thicker, shorter bill with white gape line. Dives to 200+ m — deepest diver among alcids. Piscivore; takes capelin, cod. Vulnerable to climate change in the High Arctic.