Bird of the Week – Thick-billed Murre
The close cousin of last week’s Common Murre, the Thick-billed Murre is slightly larger, slightly darker and has the distinctive whitish “gape” at the back of the bill.
Thick-billed Murre, St. Paul Island, Pribilof Islands
The Thick-billed Murre is believed to spend most of the year further offshore, in deeper water, than the Common Murre. It’s a challenge to tell the two species apart in the field. Here’s a comparatively rare shot of the two species, side-by-side.
Common (left) and Thick-billed (right) Murres, St. Paul Island, Pribilof Islands
All of this is probably more about Alcids than most Mudpuppies ever wanted to know. It’s a peril of hanging around birders. But we’ll set Alcidae aside for a while and take a look at some other birds starting next week.
Camera geek stuff: f5.6, 1/1000, iSO 1000
For more bird photos, please visit Frozen Feather Images.
I’ve never asked before,because I’m shy and introverted,but do you pay these models to pose? Seems only fair.Hope you find more birds we have in common and pay them,too.
Thanks, WC. Love these bird photos.