Blue Jay vs Northern Fulmar
Cyanocitta cristata compared with Fulmarus glacialis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Blue Jay | Northern Fulmar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Cyanocitta cristata | Fulmarus glacialis |
| Order | Passeriformes | Procellariiformes |
| Family | Corvidae | Procellariidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 28.0 cm (11.0 in) | 47.0 cm (18.5 in) |
| Wingspan | 42.0 cm (16.5 in) | 107.0 cm (42.1 in) |
| Weight | 87.0 g (3.07 oz) | 750.0 g (26.46 oz) |
| Diet | Omnivorous — nuts (especially acorns), seeds, berries, insects, and occasionally eggs or nestlings of other … | Fish, squid, crustaceans, offal from fishing vessels, and zooplankton. Feeds by surface-seizing and shallow plunge-diving. |
| Clutch Size | 2-7 | 1 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Blue Jay
Deciduous and mixed forests, parks, and suburban areas. Highly adaptable to human-modified landscapes.
Northern Fulmar
Open ocean and sea cliffs. Breeds on cliff ledges and grassy slopes on northern coastlines. Pelagic outside breeding season.
Song & Call Comparison
Blue Jay
A harsh, ringing 'jaay-jaay-jaay'. Also mimics Red-tailed Hawk and other species convincingly. Gives soft, liquid 'bell' calls and gurgling whispers in flocks.
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
Blue Jay
Eastern and central North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Some populations migrate irregularly.
Northern Fulmar
North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans. Breeds from the Arctic south to Britain, France, and New England.
Conservation Status
Blue Jay
Northern Fulmar
How to Tell Them Apart
Blue Jay
Bright blue upperparts with black barring on the wings and tail. White face and underparts with a black necklace. Prominent blue crest.
Stout, straight black bill
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
Blue Jay
The blue jay is a bold, intelligent member of the corvid family known for its striking plumage and loud calls. Blue jays are important dispersers of oak trees, as they cache thousands of acorns each autumn. Their complex social behavior includes mimicking the calls of hawks to scare other birds from feeders.
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.