Photo

Bridled Common Murre at Hornøya

14. June 2024

Varanger, Norway

Bridled common murre portrait, taken at Hornøya (in Finnmark, Norway). In Norwegian this variation of murre is often called a "ringvi", merging the words "ring" and "lomvi" (murre).

The birds at Hornøya are not shy, and often running over the path and between people at Hornøya, actively checking out what the humans are up to. This one was standing a few meters away from me, overlooking the ocean.

This picture is available as a print, notebook, or mug.

Species

Common Murre

About the bridled common murre

Common murres come in two variants: Either their had is completely black (this is the most common), or with a white ring around the eyes. These are the same species, uria aalge, but they do have a few minor differences.

Bridled common murres are more common in the north compared to the south. In some murre colonies in Portugal there are no bridled variants at all, while at Bjørnøya closer to Svalbard around half of them wear glasses. Bridled common murres are better adapted to the cold, and researchers have found that mortality amongst them is higher when winters are warner.

Whether the parents are both bridled, both non-bridled, or mixed seems to play a role in the size of the chicks. This could indicate a difference in behavior or feeding tactic between both variations.