African Penguin vs Northern Fulmar
Spheniscus demersus compared with Fulmarus glacialis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | African Penguin | Northern Fulmar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Spheniscus demersus | Fulmarus glacialis |
| Order | Sphenisciformes | Procellariiformes |
| Family | Spheniscidae | Procellariidae |
| Conservation Status | Endangered | Least Concern |
| Length | 60.0 cm (23.6 in) | 47.0 cm (18.5 in) |
| Wingspan | 42.0 cm (16.5 in) | 107.0 cm (42.1 in) |
| Weight | 3100.0 g (109.35 oz) | 750.0 g (26.46 oz) |
| Diet | Small schooling fish, especially sardines and anchovies. Forages within 40 km of the colony, diving … | Fish, squid, crustaceans, offal from fishing vessels, and zooplankton. Feeds by surface-seizing and shallow plunge-diving. |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 1 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
African Penguin
Rocky coastlines and offshore islands of southern Africa. Nests in burrows, under boulders, or in surface scrapes.
Northern Fulmar
Open ocean and sea cliffs. Breeds on cliff ledges and grassy slopes on northern coastlines. Pelagic outside breeding season.
Song & Call Comparison
African Penguin
A loud, donkey-like braying 'waaah-waaah' — hence its nickname 'jackass penguin'. Also gives softer grunts and contact calls at the colony. Highly vocal on breeding beaches.
Northern Fulmar
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.
Geographic Range & Migration
African Penguin
Coastal southwestern Africa from Namibia to Port Elizabeth, South Africa. The only penguin species breeding in Africa.
Northern Fulmar
North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans. Breeds from the Arctic south to Britain, France, and New England.
Conservation Status
African Penguin
Northern Fulmar
How to Tell Them Apart
African Penguin
Black upperparts and white underparts with a distinctive black horseshoe-shaped band across the breast. Pink patches of bare skin above the eyes help with thermoregulation.
Sturdy, pointed, black bill with a grey band near the tip
Northern Fulmar
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.
Yellowish hooked bill with prominent tubular nostrils on top
About These Birds
African Penguin
The African penguin is the only penguin species native to the African continent, also called the jackass penguin for its donkey-like braying call. Their population has plummeted over 95% since pre-industrial times due to egg collection, oil spills, and competition with commercial fisheries for sardine and anchovy stocks.
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.