Field Guide for Greenlandic Birds

http://www.worldbirds.co.uk/razorbill.aspx?key=229

Scientific:
Alca torda

Order:
Charadriiformes
Family:
Alcidae
Genus:
Alca

Danish: Alk

Greenlandic: Apparluk

Length: 16.9 in (43 cm)

Weight: 17.8-31.4 oz (505-890 g)

Wingspan: 24.8-26.8 in (63-68 cm)

Fun Fact: A Razorbill can be found as far south as New Jersey.

Tero Linjama, XC343129. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/343129.

References:

Avibase The World Bird Database (2018). Alca torda. Found at https://avibase.bsc-eoc.org/species.jsp?lang=EN&avibaseid=64F4DD81371B269F

Lavers, Jennifer, J. Mark Hipfner and Gilles Chapdelaine. 2009. Razorbill (Alca torda), version 2.0. In The Birds of North America (P. G. Rodewald, editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York, USA.

Sibley, David Allen. 2014. The Sibley guide to birds, second edition. Alfred A Knopf, New York.

https://www.nps.gov/sajh/learn/nature/common-murre.htm

Also known as the Common Guillemot

Scientific:

Uria aalge

Order:
Charadriiformes
Family:
Alcidae
Genus:
Uria

Danish: Lomvie

Greenlandic: Appa sigguttooq

Length: 15.0-16.9 in (38-43 cm)

Weight: 28.2-39.7 oz (800-1125 g)

Wingspan: 25.2-27.9 in (64-71 cm)

The Common Murre breeds on the West Coast of Greenland, in multiple large colonies on small ledges on steep coastal cliffs of about 340 000 pairs. While Murres, can both walk and fly, the bird species travel much more naturally underwater. Murres can remain submerged for several minutes at a time. They have been recovered drowned in fishing nets set as deep as 180 m, and dives to 100 m appear to be common. Murres are able to eat almost any marine life up to the size of a 30-g fish. Common Murres do not create nests, but rather, lay their egg ontop of the rocky ledge.

However, some colonies in west Greenland were completely wiped out by from hunting in the twentieth century. There are now strict hunting regulations on the Common Murre, and populations are slowly increasing.

Ken Burton, XC328537. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/328537.

References :

Avibase The World Bird DataBase (2018). Uria aalge. Found at https://avibase.bsc-eoc.org/species.jsp?lang=EN&avibaseid=39F29B55EF9A542F

Ainley, David G., David N. Nettleship, Harry R. Carter and Anne E. Storey. 2002. Common Murre (Uria aalge), version 2.0. In The Birds of North America (P. G. Rodewald, editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York, USA.

Sibley, David Allen. 2014. The Sibley guide to birds, second edition. Alfred A Knopf, New York.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Thick-billed_Murre/id

Scientific: Uria lomvia

Thick-Billed Mur, also known as the Brunnich’s Guillemot.

Danish:  Polarlomvie

Greenlandic : Appa

Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Alcidae
Genus: Uria

Length : 17.7 in (45 cm)

Weight : 26.5-52.2 oz (750-1481 g)

Description:

Medium-sized waterbird.

Black back and head, white underside.

Rather stout, pointed bill.

Throat white in non breeding plumage.

Thomas Sacher, XC112847. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/112847

References :

Avibase The World Bird Database (2018). Uria lomvia. found at https://avibase.bsc-eoc.org/species.jsp?avibaseid=B5AA5952E13FE5F3

Gaston, Anthony J. and J. Mark Hipfner. 2000. Thick-billed Murre (Uria lomvia), version 2.0. In The Birds of North America (P. G. Rodewald, editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York, USA.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03dx98q

Scientific:
Alle alle alle

Order:
Charadriiformes
Family:
Alcidae
Genus:
Alle

English: Arctic Auklet, Dovekie, Little Auk, Little Auk/Dovekie, Sea Dove

Danish : Søkonge

Greenlandic : Appaliarsuk

Length: 7.5-9.1 in (19-23 cm)

Weight: 4.7-7.2 oz (134-204 g)

Wingspan: 15.0 in (38 cm)

Fun Facts: Little Auks reside along the both the East and West Coast of Greenland. While Auks resemble penguins they are not particularly related. One of the main differences is that all existing species of Auks can fly, though they have to flap their stubby little wings at extremely fast speeds to stay airborne.

A famous Greenlandic delicacy is Kiviak- which consists of 500 fermented auks stuffed into a seal, left to ferment for two to three months. It is eaten for special occasions.

Fernand DEROUSSEN, XC135910. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/135910.

References:

Avibase : The World Bird Database (2018). Alle Alle Alle. Found at https://avibase.bsc-eoc.org/species.jsp?lang=EN&avibaseid=B0932D89F1F74318

Sibley, David Allen. 2014. The Sibley guide to birds, second edition. Alfred A Knopf, New York.

Montevecchi, William A. and Iain J. Stenhouse. 2002. Dovekie (Alle alle), version 2.0. In The Birds of North America (P. G. Rodewald, editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York, USA.