Thick-billed murre

The Thick-billed Murre, also known as Brünnich's Guillemot, is a captivating bird from the auk family, named in honor of the Danish zoologist Morten Thrane Brünnich. It is the largest living member of the Alcidae family, particularly noted since the extinction of the Great Auk. These birds inhabit the polar and sub-polar regions of the Northern Hemisphere, where they congregate in vast numbers on cliffs to breed.

Visually striking, Thick-billed Murres feature black heads, necks, backs, and wings, which provide a stark contrast to their white underparts. They possess long, pointed bills and are known for their harsh cackling calls, especially prominent in their bustling breeding colonies. One of their most remarkable abilities is diving—they can reach depths of up to 150 meters and remain underwater for as long as four minutes. Their diet predominantly consists of fish, such as Gadid species and Arctic cod, but they also consume various other marine organisms.

However, Thick-billed Murres face several threats, including egg harvesting, hunting, pollution, and accidental entanglement in fishing gear. Despite some declines in certain populations, their global numbers remain robust, estimated between 15 and 20 million. Climate change poses a significant risk due to their reliance on sea ice throughout the year.

Although the Thick-billed Murre is not currently considered a species of concern, conservation efforts are crucial to addressing these threats and safeguarding their populations. Interestingly, these birds occasionally venture far from their usual range, appearing as rare visitors in parts of Europe and North America.