LC
Common Murre Uria aalge



Taxonomy

Taxonomic source(s)
AERC TAC. 2003. AERC TAC Checklist of bird taxa occurring in Western Palearctic region, 15th Draft. Available at: http://www.aerc.eu/DOCS/Bird_taxa_of_the_WP15.xls.
Cramp, S. and Simmons, K.E.L. (eds). 1977-1994. Handbook of the birds of Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The birds of the western Palearctic. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A. and Fishpool, L.D.C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.

IUCN Red List criteria met and history
Red List criteria met
Critically Endangered Endangered Vulnerable
- - -

Red List history
Year Category Criteria
2018 Least Concern
2016 Least Concern
2012 Least Concern
2009 Least Concern
2008 Least Concern
2004 Least Concern
2000 Lower Risk/Least Concern
1994 Lower Risk/Least Concern
1988 Lower Risk/Least Concern
Species attributes

Migratory status full migrant Forest dependency does not normally occur in forest
Land-mass type Average mass 991 g
Range

Estimate Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident) 80,700,000 km2 medium
Extent of Occurrence (non-breeding) 86,100,000 km2 medium
Severely fragmented? no -
Population
Estimate Data quality Derivation Year of estimate
Population size unknown poor estimated 2009
Population trend increasing - estimated -
Generation length 15.1 years - - -

Population justification: The global population is estimated to number >18,000,000 individuals (del Hoyo et al. 1996). The European population is estimated at 2,350,000-3,060,000 mature individuals (BirdLife International 2015).

Trend justification: In North America, the population is increasing (based on BBS/CBC data: Butcher and Niven 2007). Although a number of populations in Europe are increasing, including in the UK (which holds nearly half the European population) since 2000 (JNCC 2014), a recent sharp decline was observed in Iceland (where nearly a quarter of the European population is found) since 2005. As a result of the reported decline in Iceland, the estimated and projected rate of decline of the European population size over the period 2005-2050 (three generations) varies from 25% to more than 50% (BirdLife International 2015).


Country/territory distribution
Country/Territory Presence Origin Resident Breeding visitor Non-breeding visitor Passage migrant
Algeria extant uncertain
Belgium extant native yes
Bulgaria extant vagrant
Canada extant native yes
Cape Verde extant uncertain
Czechia extant vagrant
Denmark extant native yes yes
Estonia extant native yes
Faroe Islands (to Denmark) extant native yes
Finland extant native yes yes
France extant native yes yes
Gambia extant uncertain
Germany extant native yes
Gibraltar (to UK) extant vagrant yes
Greenland (to Denmark) extant native yes
Iceland extant native yes
Ireland extant native yes
Italy extant native
Japan extant native
Latvia extant native yes
Lithuania extant native yes
Malta extant vagrant
Mauritania extant vagrant
Mexico extant native
Monaco extant uncertain
Morocco extant vagrant
Netherlands extant native yes
North Korea extant native yes
Norway extant native yes yes
Poland extant native yes
Portugal extant native yes
Romania extant vagrant
Russia extant native yes
Russia (Asian) extant native yes
Russia (European) extant native yes
Senegal extant uncertain
South Korea extant native
Spain extant native yes
St Pierre and Miquelon (to France) extant native yes yes
Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands (to Norway) extant native yes
Sweden extant native yes
Switzerland extant vagrant
Tunisia extant uncertain
United Kingdom extant native yes
USA extant native yes
Western Sahara extant uncertain

Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA)
Country/Territory IBA Name
Canada Funk Island
Canada Gannet Islands
Canada Witless Bay Islands
Denmark Lille Middelgrund
Denmark Skagerrak-Southwest Norwegian trench
Faroe Islands (to Denmark) Skúvoy
Iceland Drangey
Iceland Eldey
Iceland Grimsey ut af Eyjafirdi
Iceland Hornbjarg & Haelavikurbjarg
Iceland Ingolfshofdi
Iceland Krysuvikurberg
Iceland Latrabjarg
Iceland Myrdalur
Iceland Papey
Iceland Raudinupur
Iceland Ritur
Iceland Skoruvik-Skalabjarg
Iceland Vestmannaeyjar
Ireland Cliffs of Moher
Ireland Lambay Island
Ireland Saltee Islands
Netherlands Brown Ridge
Netherlands Frisian Front
Norway Varangerfjord (including Hornøya and Reinøya)
Russia (Asian) Bogoslova Island
Russia (Asian) Iony Island
Russia (Asian) Khalpili Islands and Impoveyem Bay
Russia (Asian) Kuril islands (between Urup and Paramushir)
Russia (Asian) Lesser Kuril Ridge and Kunashir Island
Russia (Asian) Navarin Cape
Russia (Asian) Tyuleniy Island
Russia (Asian) Utashud Island
Russia (Asian) Vasiliya islands
Spain Cíes islands
Spain Costa da Morte
Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands (to Norway) Bjørnøya (Bear Island)
Sweden Archipelago of Stockholm
Sweden Bay of Brå – Hävringe Island
Sweden Bonden Island
Sweden Karlsö Islands
Sweden Little Middelgrund
United Kingdom Caithness Cliffs
United Kingdom Fair Isle
United Kingdom Firth of Forth Islands
United Kingdom Flamborough Head and Bempton Cliffs
United Kingdom Foula
United Kingdom Fowlsheugh
United Kingdom Handa
United Kingdom Marwick Head
United Kingdom Mingulay and Berneray
United Kingdom North Rona and Sula Sgeir
United Kingdom Noss
United Kingdom Rathlin Island
United Kingdom St Abbs Head to Fast Castle
United Kingdom Troup, Pennan and Lion Heads
United Kingdom West Westray
USA Cape Peirce & Cape Newenham Colonies
USA Farallon Islands
USA St George Island Colony
USA Three Arch Rocks National Wildlife Refuge

Habitats & altitude
Habitat (level 1) Habitat (level 2) Importance Occurrence
Marine Coastal/Supratidal Sea Cliffs and Rocky Offshore Islands major breeding
Marine Neritic Macroalgal/Kelp major breeding
Marine Neritic Macroalgal/Kelp major non-breeding
Marine Neritic Pelagic major non-breeding
Marine Neritic Pelagic major breeding
Marine Neritic Seagrass (Submerged) major non-breeding
Marine Neritic Seagrass (Submerged) major breeding
Marine Neritic Subtidal Loose Rock/pebble/gravel major non-breeding
Marine Neritic Subtidal Loose Rock/pebble/gravel major breeding
Marine Neritic Subtidal Rock and Rocky Reefs major non-breeding
Marine Neritic Subtidal Rock and Rocky Reefs major breeding
Marine Neritic Subtidal Sandy major non-breeding
Marine Neritic Subtidal Sandy major breeding
Marine Neritic Subtidal Sandy-Mud major non-breeding
Marine Neritic Subtidal Sandy-Mud major breeding
Marine Oceanic Epipelagic (0-200m) suitable non-breeding
Marine Oceanic Epipelagic (0-200m) suitable breeding
Marine Oceanic Mesopelagic (200-1000m) suitable non-breeding
Marine Oceanic Mesopelagic (200-1000m) suitable breeding
Altitude   Occasional altitudinal limits  

Threats & impact
Threat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and Stresses
Biological resource use Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources - Unintentional effects: (large scale) [harvest] Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Slow, Significant Declines Medium Impact: 6
Stresses
Indirect ecosystem effects, Competition, Reduced reproductive success, Species mortality
Biological resource use Hunting & trapping terrestrial animals - Intentional use (species is the target) Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Unknown Unknown
Stresses
Reduced reproductive success, Species mortality
Climate change & severe weather Temperature extremes Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Slow, Significant Declines Medium Impact: 6
Stresses
Indirect ecosystem effects, Reduced reproductive success, Species mortality
Pollution Industrial & military effluents - Oil spills Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Negligible declines Low Impact: 5
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation, Reduced reproductive success, Species mortality

Utilisation
Purpose Scale
Food - human subsistence, national
Food - human subsistence, national
Pets/display animals, horticulture international
Pets/display animals, horticulture international

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Common Murre Uria aalge. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/common-murre-uria-aalge on 23/11/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 23/11/2024.