Eastern Bluebird vs Northern Fulmar
Sialia sialis compared with Fulmarus glacialis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Eastern Bluebird | Northern Fulmar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Sialia sialis | Fulmarus glacialis |
| Order | Passeriformes | Procellariiformes |
| Family | Turdidae | Procellariidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 17.5 cm (6.9 in) | 47.0 cm (18.5 in) |
| Wingspan | 27.0 cm (10.6 in) | 107.0 cm (42.1 in) |
| Weight | 31.0 g (1.09 oz) | 750.0 g (26.46 oz) |
| Diet | Insects in summer, berries in winter. Hunts from low perches, dropping to the ground to … | Fish, squid, crustaceans, offal from fishing vessels, and zooplankton. Feeds by surface-seizing and shallow plunge-diving. |
| Clutch Size | 4-5 | 1 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Eastern Bluebird
Open woodland, farmland edges, orchards, and parks with scattered trees and open ground. Readily uses nest boxes.
Northern Fulmar
Open ocean and sea cliffs. Breeds on cliff ledges and grassy slopes on northern coastlines. Pelagic outside breeding season.
Song & Call Comparison
Eastern Bluebird
A rich, melodious warbled 'chur-wi, tur-a-lee' song. Both sexes sing. Call is a soft, musical 'turee'. Song is gentle and flute-like, suggesting a small thrush. Given from exposed perch.
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
Eastern Bluebird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to Honduras and Nicaragua. Partially migratory.
Northern Fulmar
North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans. Breeds from the Arctic south to Britain, France, and New England.
Conservation Status
Eastern Bluebird
Northern Fulmar
How to Tell Them Apart
Eastern Bluebird
Males are vivid royal blue above with a rusty-red breast and white belly. Females are grey-blue with a paler rust breast.
Short, thin, dark 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
Eastern Bluebird
The eastern bluebird is a beloved symbol of happiness in North America. Once declining due to habitat loss and competition from introduced species, populations recovered dramatically thanks to a massive citizen science nest box campaign. These gentle thrushes form loose winter flocks and huddle together in nest boxes during cold snaps.
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.