Murres

Murres are medium to large seabirds with a distinctive upright posture when resting on cliff edges. There are two species in this group, both having dark backs and white fronts, with straight, pointed beaks. These strong seabirds live in large groups, nesting closely together on steep coastal cliffs. They lay a single, cone-shaped egg directly on the bare rock ledges. When at sea, murres sit low in the water and dive deep to catch fish, using their wings to swim underwater. They mainly live in cold northern waters, found across the North Atlantic and North Pacific. Outside the breeding season, they spread out widely over the open ocean. Their fast, buzzing flight with short wings and chunky bodies makes them easy to recognise from a distance compared to other seabirds.