Cape Verde Shearwater vs Northern Fulmar
Calonectris edwardsii compared with Fulmarus glacialis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Cape Verde Shearwater | Northern Fulmar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Calonectris edwardsii | Fulmarus glacialis |
| Order | Procellariiformes | Procellariiformes |
| Family | Procellariidae | Procellariidae |
| Conservation Status | Near Threatened | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 47.0 cm (18.5 in) |
| Wingspan | 61.8 cm (24.3 in) | 107.0 cm (42.1 in) |
| Weight | 470.0 g (16.58 oz) | 750.0 g (26.46 oz) |
| Diet | -- | Fish, squid, crustaceans, offal from fishing vessels, and zooplankton. Feeds by surface-seizing and shallow plunge-diving. |
| Clutch Size | 1 | 1 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Cape Verde Shearwater
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
Cape Verde Shearwater
Northern Fulmar
North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans. Breeds from the Arctic south to Britain, France, and New England.
Conservation Status
Cape Verde Shearwater
Northern Fulmar
How to Tell Them Apart
Cape Verde Shearwater
Northern Fulmar
Yellowish hooked bill with prominent tubular nostrils on top
About These Birds
Cape Verde Shearwater
43–47 cm. Smaller than Cory's Shearwater; grey-brown above, white below with yellow bill. Breeds Cape Verde Islands. Migrates south through east Atlantic to south Atlantic and Indian Ocean. Near Threatened; threatened by introduced cats and rats; feeds on fish and squid.
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.