The Common Murre, also known as the Common Guillemot, is a seabird found in the Northern Hemisphere. The word "Murre" is pronounced /mɜːr/ (mur) and is believed to come from the Icelandic word "múr" meaning "murmur". The spelling "Common Murre" conforms to North American English while the British English spelling is "Common Guillemot". The word "Guillemot" is pronounced /ˈɡɪləmɒt/ (GIL-uh-mot) and is derived from the French word "guillemot" meaning "little William". The spelling and pronunciation of bird names can often vary between languages and regions.
The common murre, scientifically known as Uria aalge, is a seabird species often found in the Northern Hemisphere, particularly the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Pacific Ocean. This bird belongs to the Alcidae family, and it is renowned for its streamlined body shape and exceptional diving abilities. The common murre is approximately 16 to 18 inches in length, possessing a distinctive black or brown-black upper body, white underparts, and a slender, pointed beak. During the breeding season, these birds develop a unique facial coloration with a narrow white stripe that extends from the eye to the base of the bill.
Common murres reside in large colonies around rocky cliffs and islands, exhibiting remarkable agility both in flight and underwater. They have evolved to be expert divers, capable of descending to depths up to 300 feet in pursuit of their primary prey, small fish like capelin, sand lance, and herring. Their streamlined bodies and powerful wings enable them to swim adeptly, propelling themselves underwater in search of food. Common murres are monogamous and exhibit strong nest-site fidelity, often returning to the same breeding locations year after year.
Conservation of the common murre is crucial due to their susceptibility to environmental changes and human activities. Threats to their populations include oil spills, disturbance caused by human activities, habitat degradation, and climate change-induced variations in their prey availability. As important indicators of marine ecosystems' health, the conservation and management of common murres play a vital role in preserving the overall ecological balance of the regions they inhabit.
The word "murre" is believed to have originated from the Old Norse word "mǫrðr", which referred to a type of seabird. This term eventually evolved into "murre" in Old English and later Middle English. As for the word "common", it is used to distinguish this specific species of murre, also known as Uria aalge, from other closely related species.