Mallard vs Northern Fulmar

Anas platyrhynchos مقارنةً بـ Fulmarus glacialis

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Side-by-Side Comparison

السمة Mallard Northern Fulmar
الاسم العلمي Anas platyrhynchos Fulmarus glacialis
الرتبة Anseriformes Procellariiformes
الفصيلة Anatidae Procellariidae
حالة الحفاظ Least Concern Least Concern
الطول 58,0 cm (22.8 in) 47,0 cm (18.5 in)
طول الجناح 90,0 cm (35.4 in) 107,0 cm (42.1 in)
الوزن 1100,0 g (38.80 oz) 750,0 g (26.46 oz)
النظام الغذائي Omnivorous — aquatic plants, seeds, insects, crustaceans, and mollusks. Feeds by dabbling, upending, and grazing … Fish, squid, crustaceans, offal from fishing vessels, and zooplankton. Feeds by surface-seizing and shallow plunge-diving.
عدد البيض في الوضع 4-18 1
Population Trend
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Size Comparison

Body Length
Mallard 58,0 cm
Northern Fulmar 47,0 cm
طول الجناح
Mallard 90,0 cm
Northern Fulmar 107,0 cm
الوزن
Mallard 1100,0 g
Northern Fulmar 750,0 g
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Habitat Comparison

الموائل المشتركة

بلا

Mallard only

Northern Fulmar only

بلا

Mallard

Nearly any wetland habitat including lakes, rivers, ponds, marshes, estuaries, and urban park ponds.

Northern Fulmar

Open ocean and sea cliffs. Breeds on cliff ledges and grassy slopes on northern coastlines. Pelagic outside breeding season.

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Song & Call Comparison

Mallard

الغناء

Female gives the classic 'quack-quack-quack', descending in pitch. Male utters soft nasal 'raeb-raeb'. Both give a high 'gag-gag-gag' when alarmed or taking flight.

Northern Fulmar

الغناء

A nasal, cackling 'kak-kak-kak-kak' or grunting 'uh-uh-uh' at the nest and colony. Less melodic than petrels. In flight gives occasional single nasal calls.

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Geographic Range & Migration

Mallard

Native across the Northern Hemisphere in North America, Europe, and Asia. Introduced to Australia and New Zealand.

Northern Fulmar

North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans. Breeds from the Arctic south to Britain, France, and New England.

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حالة الحفاظ

Least Concern

Mallard

Least Concern

Northern Fulmar

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How to Tell Them Apart

Mallard

الريش

Breeding males have an iridescent green head, white neck ring, chestnut breast, and grey body. Females are mottled brown. Both sexes show a blue speculum bordered by white.

المنقار

Broad, flat bill — yellow-green in males, orange-brown in females

Northern Fulmar

الريش

Light morph: white head and underparts with grey wings and back. Dark morph: entirely grey. Tube-nosed bill and stiff-winged flight distinctive at sea.

المنقار

Yellowish hooked bill with prominent tubular nostrils on top

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About These Birds

Mallard

The mallard is the ancestor of most domestic duck breeds and the most abundant and widespread dabbling duck in the world. Males perform elaborate courtship displays including head-bobbing and whistle-grunt calls. Mallards are highly adaptable, thriving in both wilderness and urban environments.

Northern Fulmar

The northern fulmar is a long-lived seabird that can survive over 40 years. It defends its nest by projectile-vomiting a foul-smelling stomach oil at intruders, which can mat the feathers of predators and cause fatal loss of waterproofing. Fulmars have expanded their breeding range dramatically southward over the past two centuries.

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