Common Ostrich vs Northern Fulmar
Struthio camelus compared with Fulmarus glacialis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Common Ostrich | Northern Fulmar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Struthio camelus | Fulmarus glacialis |
| Order | Struthioniformes | Procellariiformes |
| Family | Struthionidae | Procellariidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 210.0 cm (82.7 in) | 47.0 cm (18.5 in) |
| Wingspan | 200.0 cm (78.7 in) | 107.0 cm (42.1 in) |
| Weight | 100000.0 g (3527.40 oz) | 750.0 g (26.46 oz) |
| Diet | Omnivorous — plants, seeds, roots, flowers, insects, and small vertebrates. Swallows pebbles to aid digestion … | Fish, squid, crustaceans, offal from fishing vessels, and zooplankton. Feeds by surface-seizing and shallow plunge-diving. |
| Clutch Size | 2-11 | 1 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Common Ostrich
Open arid and semi-arid habitats including savannas, Sahel, and dry woodlands across Africa.
Northern Fulmar
Open ocean and sea cliffs. Breeds on cliff ledges and grassy slopes on northern coastlines. Pelagic outside breeding season.
Song & Call Comparison
Common Ostrich
Male produces a surprisingly deep, resonant booming roar — remarkably lion-like. Also gives whistling and hissing sounds. Females and chicks emit softer grunts and squeaks.
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
Common Ostrich
Sub-Saharan Africa. Formerly also found in the Middle East and parts of Asia. Farmed worldwide.
Northern Fulmar
North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans. Breeds from the Arctic south to Britain, France, and New England.
Conservation Status
Common Ostrich
Northern Fulmar
How to Tell Them Apart
Common Ostrich
Males have black body plumage with white wing and tail feathers. Females and immatures are grey-brown. Bare skin on the neck and thighs varies from pink to blue.
Broad, flat bill adapted for an omnivorous diet
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
Common Ostrich
The common ostrich is the world's largest living bird, standing up to 2.7 meters tall and weighing up to 145 kg. Despite being flightless, it is the fastest bird on land, sprinting at speeds up to 70 km/h. Ostrich eggs are the largest of any living bird, weighing about 1.4 kg each.
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.