Budgerigar vs Northern Fulmar
Melopsittacus undulatus compared with Fulmarus glacialis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Budgerigar | Northern Fulmar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Melopsittacus undulatus | Fulmarus glacialis |
| Order | Psittaciformes | Procellariiformes |
| Family | Psittaculidae | Procellariidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 18.0 cm (7.1 in) | 47.0 cm (18.5 in) |
| Wingspan | 30.0 cm (11.8 in) | 107.0 cm (42.1 in) |
| Weight | 30.0 g (1.06 oz) | 750.0 g (26.46 oz) |
| Diet | Primarily grass seeds and other small seeds. In the wild, feeds on the ground in … | Fish, squid, crustaceans, offal from fishing vessels, and zooplankton. Feeds by surface-seizing and shallow plunge-diving. |
| Clutch Size | 4-6 | 1 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Budgerigar
Open grasslands, scrublands, and woodland in the Australian interior. Nomadic, following rainfall and seeding events.
Northern Fulmar
Open ocean and sea cliffs. Breeds on cliff ledges and grassy slopes on northern coastlines. Pelagic outside breeding season.
Song & Call Comparison
Budgerigar
A rising, chattering 'budgerigar' chatter: rapid series of 'chek-chek-chek' and melodic warbling. Enormous wild flocks produce a continuous roaring chorus. Good vocal mimics in captivity.
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
Budgerigar
Interior of Australia, especially arid and semi-arid regions. One of the most popular pet birds worldwide.
Northern Fulmar
North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans. Breeds from the Arctic south to Britain, France, and New England.
Conservation Status
Budgerigar
Northern Fulmar
How to Tell Them Apart
Budgerigar
Wild-type is green with yellow head and barred black scalloping on upperparts. Captive-bred varieties include blue, white, yellow, and many other colors.
Short, downward-curved, olive-grey bill typical of parakeets
Northern Fulmar
Yellowish hooked bill with prominent tubular nostrils on top
About These Birds
Budgerigar
The budgerigar is the third most popular pet in the world after dogs and cats, and by far the most common pet parrot. Wild budgies travel in enormous nomadic flocks that can darken the sky. Males can learn to mimic human speech, with one record-holding budgie having a vocabulary of 1,728 words.
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.