common murre

References

Images

Common murres (Uria aalge), ringed phase at left

bill variations among the Lari and Alcae

common murre

bird

Also known as: Uria aalge, common guillemot

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 23, 2026

Quick Summary

Common murres (Uria aalge), ringed phase at left — Common murres (Uria aalge), ringed phase at left

The common murre (Uria aalge) is a black and white seabird belonging to the auk family. These birds are approximately 40 cm (16 inches) long and12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

4 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

7 Animals that Lay the Most Unusual Eggs
Speckled cones of murres
The common murre (Uria aalge) is a large seabird with an unusual nesting habit. It lays its eggs on narrow rocky ledges and cliffs along the northern Pacific and Atlantic oceans. The eggs vary in color—from white to blue to brown—with speckles, blotches, and other markings…
Read More
The common murre (Uria aalge) is a large seabird with an unusual nesting habit. It lays its eggs on narrow rocky ledges and cliffs along the northern Pacific and Atlantic oceans. The eggs vary in color—from white to blue to brown—with speckles, blotches, and other markings…
Read More

murre
The common murre (U. aalge) breeds from the Arctic Circle south to Nova Scotia, California, Portugal, and Korea. Atlantic populations include the so-called bridled, or ringed, murre, a mutation that shows, in breeding season, a ring around the eye and a thin, white stripe behind the…
Read More
The common murre (U. aalge) breeds from the Arctic Circle south to Nova Scotia, California, Portugal, and Korea. Atlantic populations include the so-called bridled, or ringed, murre, a mutation that shows, in breeding season, a ring around the eye and a thin, white stripe behind the…
Read More