Thick-billed Murre / Brunnich's Guillemot
EN

Thick-billed Murre / Brunnich's Guillemot

Uria lomvia

UnknownLCEULCEU

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thick-billed_murre

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

Thick-billed Murres face severe population declines primarily due to climate change impacts on Arctic marine ecosystems, which alter prey availability and sea ice dynamics essential for breeding success. Commercial fishing operations compete directly for their primary food sources, particularly Arctic cod and capelin, while oil spills and marine pollution pose acute risks to their dense breeding colonies. Introduced predators at nesting sites and increasing ship traffic through Arctic shipping routes further compound pressures on this ice-dependent seabird.

Threat summary

Habitat

Thick-billed Murres inhabit Arctic and subarctic marine waters, breeding on steep cliff faces and rocky ledges of coastal islands and headlands. During winter, they occupy ice-free oceanic waters, often associated with pack ice edges where upwelling supports rich marine productivity.

MARINE· majorTERRESTRIAL· major

Other threatened species in Alcidae

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Cepphus grylle

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Northern GuillemotVU

Northern Guillemot

Uria aalge

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Thick-billed Murre / Brunnich's Guillemot classified as Endangered?
Thick-billed Murre / Brunnich's Guillemot is classified as Endangered — facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild — because population numbers are declining steeply and key habitats are under sustained pressure. Thick-billed Murres face severe population declines primarily due to climate change impacts on Arctic marine ecosystems, which alter prey availability and sea ice dynamics essential for breeding success. Commercial fishing operations compete directly for their primary food sources, particularly Arctic cod and capelin, while oil spills and marine pollution pose acute risks to their dense breeding colonies. Introduced predators at nesting sites and increasing ship traffic through Arctic shipping routes further compound pressures on this ice-dependent seabird.
Where does Thick-billed Murre / Brunnich's Guillemot live?
Thick-billed Murre / Brunnich's Guillemot occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Thick-billed Murre / Brunnich's Guillemot?
The main threats to Thick-billed Murre / Brunnich's Guillemot are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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